Correlation between serum cortisol levels and CD4 counts in treatment-naïve patients with HIV/AIDS infection at tertiary hospital

The increased cortisol is significantly correlated with HIV mortality. The objective of this study was to analyze the correlation between serum cortisol levels and CD4 counts in treatment-naïve patients with HIV/AIDS infection. This was an analytical cross-sectional study. Total serum cortisol levels were measured by ADVIA Centaur® using chemiluminescence immunoassay and CD4 counts were measured by flow cytometry technique using BD FACS Count CD4 reagants®. Among 56 samples of treatment-naïve patients with HIV/AIDS infection, the mean age was 34.3 ± 9 years and they were predominantly male. Mean total cortisol levels was 18.88 ± 9.90 µg/dL, and 32.1% of samples had total cortisol levels of >22.4 µg/dL. As much as 67.9% of the samples presented CD4 counts lower than 200 cells/mm3. There was a significant moderate negative correlation between total cortisol levels and CD4 counts (r = -0.467, p<0.001).Total cortisol levels were negatively correlated with CD4 counts. The higher the total cortisol levels of HIV/AIDS-positive patients, the lower the CD4 counts.