Restoration of cd4 cells and lymphocytes count during D4T + 3TC + NVP/ AZT + 3TC + NVP treatment in HIV infected individuals in Togo.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on the CD4+ cells count.Materials and method: This was a cross-sectional study which included 76 people living with HIV in first line ART for 12 months from January to December 2012.Results: Patients age ranged from 18 to 63 years old with a mean age of 39.38±10.21 years. Among them 10 (13.2%) were under AZT+3TC+NVP treatment while 66 (86.8%) were under D4T+3TC+NVP. Before treatment, 60.5% of patients had a leukopenia (white blood cells less than 4,000 μl-1). After six and twelve months’ treatment only 26.3% and 15.8% had leukopenia respectively. Moreover, we observed that before treatment, 65.5% of patients had a lymphopenia (less than 1,500 lymphocytes μl-1) and the number of lymphocytes increased with the treatment. More interestingly, we observed that 76.4% of patients had a CD4+ T cells count under 350 μl-1 before the treatment. After the treatment, 55.3% and 44.7% of patients had a CD4+T cells under 350μl-1.Conclusion: Improving access to antiretroviral drugs against HIV could help to reducethe prevalence and mortality related to this infection.Keywords: ART, CD4+ T lymphocytes, HIV.