scholarly journals Total lymphocyte count is a good marker for HIV-related mortality and can be used as a tool for starting HIV treatment in a resource-limited setting

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 1372-1379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helena P. W. Oudenhoven ◽  
Hinta Meijerink ◽  
Rudi Wisaksana ◽  
Suryani Oetojo ◽  
Agnes Indrati ◽  
...  
2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. 645-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sreenivasan Srirangaraj ◽  
Dasegowda Venkatesha

Introduction: In resource-limited settings, due to the high cost of CD4 cell count testing, physicians must decide about opportunistic infection (OI) prophylaxis without a laboratory evaluation of HIV stage and level of immune suppression. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation of total lymphocyte count (TLC), an inexpensive laboratory parameter, to CD4 count, and to determine a range of TLC cut-offs for the initiation of OI prophylaxis that is appropriate for resource-limited settings. Methodology: Spearman correlation between CD4 count and TLC was assessed in patients attending the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centre at Mysore, India. Positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), sensitivity, and specificity of various TLC cut-offs were computed for CD4 counts < 200 cells/mm3. Correlation and statistical indices were computed for all patients and for HIV patients with active tuberculosis. Results: Good correlation was noted between the 106 paired TLC and CD4 counts (r = 0.3497).TLC < 1200cells/mm3 had 88.14% sensitivity and 34.78% specificity for CD4 count < 200 cells/mm3. In those patients with active tuberculosis, TLC< 2000cells/mm3 had 95.24% sensitivity and 100% specificity for CD4 count < 200cells/ mm3. Conclusions: TLC could serve as a low-cost tool for determining when to initiate prophylaxis in resource-constrained settings.


Author(s):  
Donald J. Hamel ◽  
Jean-Louis Sankalé ◽  
Jay O. Samuels ◽  
Abdoulaye D. Sarr ◽  
Beth Chaplin ◽  
...  

Introduction: From 2004–2012, the Harvard/AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, funded through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief programme, scaled up HIV care and treatment services in Nigeria. We describe the methodologies and collaborative processes developed to improve laboratory capacity significantly in a resource-limited setting. These methods were implemented at 35 clinic and laboratory locations.Methods: Systems were established and modified to optimise numerous laboratory processes. These included strategies for clinic selection and management, equipment and reagent procurement, supply chains, laboratory renovations, equipment maintenance, electronic data management, quality development programmes and trainings.Results: Over the eight-year programme, laboratories supported 160 000 patients receiving HIV care in Nigeria, delivering over 2.5 million test results, including regular viral load quantitation. External quality assurance systems were established for CD4+ cell count enumeration, blood chemistries and viral load monitoring. Laboratory equipment platforms were improved and standardised and use of point-of-care analysers was expanded. Laboratory training workshops supported laboratories toward increasing staff skills and improving overall quality. Participation in a World Health Organisation-led African laboratory quality improvement system resulted in significant gains in quality measures at five laboratories.Conclusions: Targeted implementation of laboratory development processes, during simultaneous scale-up of HIV treatment programmes in a resource-limited setting, can elicit meaningful gains in laboratory quality and capacity. Systems to improve the physical laboratory environment, develop laboratory staff, create improvements to reduce costs and increase quality are available for future health and laboratory strengthening programmes. We hope that the strategies employed may inform and encourage the development of other laboratories in resource-limited settings.


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