Low sensitivity of total lymphocyte count as a surrogate marker to identify antepartum and postpartum Indian women who require antiretroviral therapy

Background: Some studies support the use of total lymphocyte count (TLC) as a surrogate marker for CD4 cell count to guide antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. However, most of these studies have focused on nonpregnant adults. In light of expanding ART access through prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT)-plus programs in resource-limited settings, we assessed the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value (PPV) of TLC for predicting low CD4 counts in antepartum and postpartum women in Pune, India.

 

Methods: CD4, TLC, and hemoglobin were measured at third trimester, delivery, and 6, 9, and 12 months postpartum (PP) in a cohort of 779 HIV-infected women. Optimal TLC cutoff for predicting CD4 <200 cells/mm3 was determined via logistic regression where sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were calculated.