The added value of a CD4 count to identify patients eligible for highly active antiretroviral therapy among HIV-positive adults in Cambodia

The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 2003 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria was determined to start antiretroviral treatment based on clinical criteria or based on combination of clinical symptoms and the total lymphocyte count. The data suggest that, in settings with limited access to CD4 count testing, it might be useful to target this test to patients in WHO stage 3 whose staging is based on weight loss alone, to avoid unnecessary treatment.