Correlation of Flow Cytometry–Based CD4+ T-Cell Counts With Hematological Abnormalities Among People Living With HIV: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
Background: Hematological abnormalities are common manifestations of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and serve as strong predictors of morbidity and mortality. Evaluating these changes alongside flow cytometry-based CD4+ T-cell counts provides key insights into disease progression.
Objective: To investigate the prevalence of hematological abnormalities and evaluate their correlation with CD4+ T-cell counts in treatment-naive People Living with HIV (PLWH).
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 newly diagnosed, antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive HIV-positive adults. Complete blood counts (CBC) were performed using an automated hematology analyzer, and absolute CD4+ T-cell counts were determined via multi-color flow cytometry. Statistical associations were evaluated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and the Chi-square test.
Results: The overall prevalence of anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia was 72.5%, 26.0%, and 14.5% respectively. A strong, statistically significant positive correlation was observed between CD4+ T-cell counts and both hemoglobin levels (r = 0.64), (p < 0.001) and absolute lymphocyte counts (r = 0.71), (p < 0.001). Cytopenias were progressively more severe in patients with CD4+ counts (< 200 cells/microL).
Conclusion: Hematological derangements are inversely proportional to CD4+ T-cell counts in ART-naive patients. Routine CBC parameters present a reliable, cost-effective tool to complement flow cytometry for tracking severe immunosuppression in resource-constrained environments[1].
