Document 0898
 DOCN  M9540898
 TI    [Idiopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia (editorial)]
 DT    9504
 AU    Piketty C; Weiss L; Kazatchkine M
 SO    Presse Med. 1994 Oct 8;23(30):1374-5. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/95132522
 AB    In healthy adults the CD4+ lymphocyte count in circulating blood is
       remarkably stable over a prolonged period. In patients infected with the
       human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) CD4 counts drop off sharply and can
       be used as a predictive marker of midterm outcome. However certain case
       reports of patients with out HIV infection, some reported as early as
       1983, have led to a much publicized search for another immunosuppressive
       retrovirus. In reality no evidence of any such virus has been found and
       the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organisation have
       now defined the syndrome of idiopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia which
       includes a CD4 count below 300/mm3 or less than 20% of total lymphocytes
       in at least two successive counts without anti-HIV antibodies and
       without a known cause of immune deficiency or immunosuppressor
       treatment. The syndrome is extremely rare and although only recently
       identified, is probably not new. No endemic zone is known and there is
       no evidence of inter-human transmission. The clinical presentation is
       different from HIV infection. Although patients are susceptible to
       opportunistic infections, CD4 counts have relative stability and no
       hypergammaglobulinaemia occurs. Idiopathic CD4 lymphopenia is probably a
       primary immunodeficiency syndrome.
 DE    Adult  AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/*COMPLICATIONS  English
       Abstract  Female  Human  Lymphocyte Count  Male  Middle Age
       T-Lymphocytopenia, Idiopathic CD4-Positive/*COMPLICATIONS  EDITORIAL
       REVIEW  REVIEW, TUTORIAL  JOURNAL ARTICLE

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