CD4+: neopterin ratio significantly improves correlation with the Walter Reed staging system if compared with CD4+ and neopterin considered separately

In 1986, the Walter Reed staging system (WRS) was proposed in order to classify HIV-infection stages by universally accepted clinical and immunological standards. The main immunological parameters included CD4+ cell counts (CD4+) and skin test reactivity (ST). Recently, Fuchs et al. have demonstrated a good correlation between serum neopterin levels (SNL) and the WRS. In the present study, the authors report results examining the correlations of CD4 super(+), SNL, and CD4+:SNL with the WRS in a series of HIV positive and at risk HIV negative subjects.