Large diurnal variation in CD4 cell count and T-cell function among drug users: implications for clinical practice and epidemiological studies. (Periodical Report)

SOURCE: AIDS, November 1992;6(11):1269-1272.

CD4+ T lymphocyte counts in HIV-infected drug users vary widely during the day, a Dutch study shows.

Lymphocyte reactivity, which has been suggested as a prognostic marker of HIV disease progression, also varied in this population by 93 percent over eight hours.

Researcher Gerard H. Mientjes of the Municipal Health Service, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and colleagues note that both CD4+ lymphocyte count and function are influenced by diurnal cycles. For example, a study of male soldiers showed that CD4 counts rose over the course of the day, although this increase was smaller (59 cells/uL over 14 …