Immune and hematologic alterations associated with CD4+ T-cell depletion in people living with HIV in Morocco

Abstract

HIV infection profoundly impacts both the immune and hematologic systems. This retrospective study aimed to assess the effect of CD4+ T-cell depletion on peripheral immune and hematologic cell populations in 1293 people living with HIV (PLWH). Patients with CD4+ counts < 200 cells/µL exhibited significant reductions in neutrophils (4000 ± 1200 cells/µL), eosinophils (150 ± 50 cells/µL), basophils (30 ± 10 cells/µL), monocytes (300 ± 100 cells/µL), erythrocytes (4.3 ± 0.6 × 106/µL), and platelets (268 ± 78 × 103/µL). As evaluated in 93 PLWH cases, B cells showed a similar trend (150 ± 50 cells/µL), while the decrease of NK cells was not significant (200 ± 70 cells/µL),. In parallel, we observed a compensatory increase in CD8+ T lymphocytes (850 ± 300 cells/µL). These findings highlight the complex interplay between CD4+ T-cell depletion and both immune and hematologic cells in the context of HIV infection, which emphasizes the need for integrated monitoring to inform targeted interventions and optimize clinical outcomes.