Are New CD4 Cells as Good as Old?
Most approaches to immune restoration try to increase the number of CD4 cells. This is based on the assumption that when CD4 cells increase, the immune system is stronger. When people with HIV start taking ART, their CD4 cell counts usually go up. At first, the new CD4 cells are probably copies of existing types of CD4 cells. If some “types” of CD4 cells were lost, they won’t come back right away. This could leave some gaps in the body’s immune defenses. However, if HIV stays under control for a few years, the thymus might make new CD4 cells that could fill in these gaps and restore the immune system. Some of these CD4 cells might help control HIV infection. Some anti-HIV medications lead to greater increases in CD4 cell counts than others. There is no information yet on whether this leads to better health outcomes. Many people taking strong antiretroviral medications now have normal CD4 cell counts. However, people with HIV are getting “non-AIDS” diseases such as cancer and heart dise
