Determination of Helper:Suppressor T-Cell Ratios

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Abstract
To the Editor: The assessment of helper (CD4):suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8) T-lymphocyte ratios is an increasingly popular method to monitor immune competence in various patient groups. The "normal" CD4:CD8 ratio is generally 2.0 (range, 1.5 to 3.5). Ratios that fall outside the reference range may have clinical importance. In patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), for example, the CD4:CD8 ratio is extremely low (≤1.0).1 Among recipients of kidney transplants, some patients who are about to have a rejection episode have elevated CD4:CD8 ratios.2 Nonetheless, decreased or increased ratios do not always correlate with the clinical status of a patient. One explanation . . .