TY - JOUR
T1 - A reliable and inexpensive EasyCD4 assay for monitoring HIV-infected individuals in resource-limited settings
AU - Balakrishnan, Pachamuthu
AU - Solomon, Suniti
AU - Mohanankrishnan, Janardhanan
AU - Cecelia, Anitha J
AU - Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran
AU - Murugavel, Kailapuri G
AU - Venkatakrishnan, Bhavani
AU - Solomon, Sunil S
AU - Crowe, Suzanne Mary
AU - Ganesh, Aylur K
AU - Thyagarajan, Sadras P
AU - Flanigan, Timothy
AU - Mayer, Kenneth H
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - Serial measurements of absolute CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts are required to initiate and gauge response to therapy and monitor disease progression. Hence, there is an urgent need to evaluate the accuracy and validity of low-cost CD4+ T-cell count assays. Tripotassium EDTA blood specimens from HIV-infected individuals were studied using a novel flow cytometric assay (EasyCD4 assay; Guava Technologies, Hayward, CA) in comparison with standard flow cytometry (FACSCount; Becton Dickinson Immunocytometry Systems, San Jose, CA). The sensitivity, specificity value by EasyCD4 assay in enumerating absolute CD4+ T-cell counts of less than 200 cells/microL were 95 and 100 , respectively. Bland-Altman analysis showed close agreement, with the EasyCD4 assay yielding CD4+ T-cell counts a mean difference of -26 cells/microL (95 confidence interval, -96 to 44 cells/microL) higher than by flow cytometry. Our data suggest that EasyCD4 assay could be a useful alternative assay to conventional flow cytometry, may be appropriate for use in resource-limited settings.
AB - Serial measurements of absolute CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts are required to initiate and gauge response to therapy and monitor disease progression. Hence, there is an urgent need to evaluate the accuracy and validity of low-cost CD4+ T-cell count assays. Tripotassium EDTA blood specimens from HIV-infected individuals were studied using a novel flow cytometric assay (EasyCD4 assay; Guava Technologies, Hayward, CA) in comparison with standard flow cytometry (FACSCount; Becton Dickinson Immunocytometry Systems, San Jose, CA). The sensitivity, specificity value by EasyCD4 assay in enumerating absolute CD4+ T-cell counts of less than 200 cells/microL were 95 and 100 , respectively. Bland-Altman analysis showed close agreement, with the EasyCD4 assay yielding CD4+ T-cell counts a mean difference of -26 cells/microL (95 confidence interval, -96 to 44 cells/microL) higher than by flow cytometry. Our data suggest that EasyCD4 assay could be a useful alternative assay to conventional flow cytometry, may be appropriate for use in resource-limited settings.
UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16885780
U2 - 10.1097/01.qai.0000227791.92203.d5
DO - 10.1097/01.qai.0000227791.92203.d5
M3 - Article
SN - 1525-4135
VL - 43
SP - 23
EP - 26
JO - Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
JF - Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
IS - 1
ER -
