Lab test important to HIV
HIV PCR (Viral Load)
Testing should be performed every three or four months when the patient is stable, except prior to changing medications or when viral activity is changing, it is suggested that the test be done twice as a confirmation that viral activity has in fact changed.
HIV Genotype/Phenotype
This testing is extremely important in determining the correct course of treatment., before initial therapy and if there has been treatment failure, as it outlines any resistance to HIV drugs currently available. In 2005, 8 to 10% of newly diagnosed HIV patients were resistant to certain therapies before even beginning. It has been suggested that this testing become standard of care for treatment-naïve HIV patients.
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and Dehydroepiandrosterone-S (DHEA-S)
The levels of hormones are extremely important in the management of HIV. These hormone levels
must be kept high in order to assist the immune system in fighting the virus. In fact, any T cell activity against HIV (TH1), CD4 requires DHEA for full activation. Since the virus, as noted above, changes frequently, so does the immune system working in fighting the virus. Therefore, these tests are needed in order to monitor the proper dosage of DHEA the patient is required to take and inferentially to determine the increased amount of work the immune system is performing to control viral activity.
IGF-1
This test is used to monitor the levels of growth hormones. It is an early indication of wasting syndrome.
Estrodial
This test monitors the levels of estrogen. Low levels (even in males) may indicate poor immune response to drug therapy or early signs of wasting syndrome.
Thyroxine, TSH, Triodothyronine, Thyroxine Free, and T3 Free
A high percentage of HIV patients complain of fatigue. Hypothyroidism is a part of the differential diagnosis of fatigue as is anemia. In addition, thyroid abnormalities are found in 10-15% of all patients with HIV/AIDS. The testing utilized would indicate abnormalities and how to treat them. In addition, it becomes even more important as thyroid function is integrally limited to the function of the immune system in fighting the HIV virus.
Testosterone
This test monitors the levels of testosterone. Low levels may indicate poor immune response to drug therapy and/or early signs of wasting.
HHV-6
IT has been well shown that his virus acts as a co-factor for HIV (Ablashi, DNA, 1995). As such any change in activity of HHV-6 has been shown in numerous publications to presage a change in HIV activity. In addition, Conant (10th Int. Aids Congress, 1994) has shown that suppressing Herpes virus activity, when present, reduces the incidence of death in AIDS patients.
Sedimentation Rate
This test is required to identify other infections frequently occurring with HIV/AIIDS, such as MAC. This test also monitors inflammatory or malignant disease in HIV/AIDS patients and aids in the detection and diagnosis of occult diseases.
IgE
In HIV, a patient becomes susceptible to allergies causing T helper cells to become TH2 instead of TH1. TH1 are required to fight the virus and as a result of the patients already overworked immune system, the onset of this change in condition needs to be identified as soon as possible. Once identified, medication can be rendered to cope with the allergies and prevent the increased immune activity associated with allergies.