T4/T8 ratio and absolute T4 cell numbers in different clinical stages of Kaposi's sarcoma in AIDS

Abstract

Thirty-seven men (36 homosexual or bisexual and one heterosexual) with epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma and underlying HIV infection were followed up over a period of up to 32 months. Fourteen patients (38%) died, with a median survival time of 7.2 months after the diagnosis of AIDS. Seventeen patients (46%) presented with one or more opportunistic infections, mostly Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Eighteen patients (49%) had lymphadenopathy syndrome according to the definition of the CDC. Using the Laubenstein-classification of Kaposi's sarcoma, all patients either remained stable or deteriorated, improvement was never observed. Absolute T4 lymphocyte counts and the T4/T8 ratio were not related to the disease stage. With the onset of B symptoms (systemic symptoms), however, the absolute T4 numbers and the T4/T8 ratio markedly decreased. Delayed type hypersensitivity also showed no relationship to the clinical stages of Kaposi's sarcoma. Thus, the clinical progression of Kaposi's sarcoma lesions seems to be largely independent of the immunological parameters investigated. However, the onset of B symptoms was observed to be related to changes in immune status.

Duesberg and the right of reply according to Maddox-Nature

“…However, the apparent lack of infectivity of the 'free virus' or 'virions' (2) resolves the paradox of the coexistence of 10 5 T-cells with 10 In earlier efforts to resolve the paradox, that there is too little HIV in AIDS patients to cause AIDS, both groups have observed huge discrepancies between virus titers and AIDS symptoms. In 1993, Shaw and colleagues have described otherwise identical AIDS patients of which 5 contained 0 infectious HIV per mI, and 22 contained between 5 and 10 5 (16,19).…”

Delayed hypersensitivity skin tests in prognosis of human immunodeficiency virus infection

“…Recent work has shown a strong positive association between CD4+ lymphocytes and delayed hypersensitivity skin tests (DHST) . 4,5 These facts led us to investigate the utility of DHST (a very low cost and simple procedure) in the follow-up of HIV-infected patients.…”

Impaired stimulation of anti-bovine serum albumin IgG antibodies by vaccine adjuvants in murine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

“…HIV-infected individuals have diminished immunological responses to foreign antigens associated with the progressive depletion of CD4 ÷ lymphocytes [46]. A direct effect of inactivated HIV-1 or viral components on both T and B lymphocyte function in vitro has been demonstrated [2,14], as well as selective signalling defects in T ceils [28].…”