May 13, 2014
Why does how low your CD4 ever was matter when it's gone back up to 400? Is previously low cd4 a risk factor for something?
What matters most is your viral load and CD4 count on therapy. But the baseline CD4 count also matters, though to a much lesser degree. Studies do show that starting treatment with a lower CD4 count may put you at greater risk for some long-term complications, such as cognitive deficits, cardiovascular disease, and loss of bone density. This is one of the many reasons why routine screening and early treatment is so important.