The relationship of total lymphocyte count to CD4 lymphocyte counts in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

A simple, inexpensive alternative to CD4 counts would facilitate the management of asymptomatic and early symptomatic patients with HIV infection. In this report, a high correlation was found between CD4 counts and total lymphocyte counts calculated from complete blood counts in a cohort of ambulatory HIV-infected patients. Using these data, patients with CD4 counts above and below 500 cells/mm3, 200 cells/mm3, and those with and without symptoms can be identified with a high degree of predictive value. The availability and lower cost of lymphocyte counts make them an attractive alternative to CD4 counts in managing asymptomatic and early symptomatic patients with HIV infection.