Aim: To determine the factors asociated with a low CD4 count among HIV-1 positve
patients.
Study Design: Cros-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Adult HIV clinic at the Jos University Teaching Hospital,
Jos, betwen October 2010 and April 201.
Methodology: Data on demographic, clinical and laboratory variables for 218 HIV-1
infected patients aged 20 years and older were analysed. A low CD4 cel count was
defined as CD4 cel count <20 cels/ml based on the WHO criteria for severe immune
Original Research ArticleBritsh Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 4(13): 2536-2545, 2014
2537
supresion. A multivariate logistic regresion modeling was fited to determine the
variables that were independently asociated with a low CD4 count.
Results: Of the 218 HIV-1 infected patients, 19 (54.6%) had a low CD4 count at
enrolment. The ods of having a low CD4 count was: 7 times higher in patients with
WHO clinical stage 3 or 4 compared to those with stage 1 or 2 (P<.01) and 4 times
higher in those with HIV RNA viral oad =4.6 log10 copies/ml compared to those with les
(P<.01); but the ods of having a low CD4 count was reduced by 63% in those patients
that were resident in Plateau State compared to those resident outside the state (P=.01).
Conclusion: Our study patients were more likely to have a CD4 count <20 cels/ml
which would sugest late presentation/ late HIV diagnosis and thus a delayed oportunity
for timely aces to HIV care and initation of antiretroviral therapy. There is the ned to
intensify eforts in early routine HIV counseling and testing not only in health facilties in
the cites but also in smaler towns and rural communites, so as to reduce the frequency
of late HIV diagnosis with its potential implications.