Clinical Outcome of HIV-Infected Patients with Discordant Virological and Immunological Response to Antiretroviral Therapy

Background: A subgroup of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)–infected patients with severe immunodeficiency show persistently low CD4+ cell counts despite sustained viral suppression. It is unclear whether this immuno-virological discordance translates into an increased risk for clinical events. Methods: Data analysis from a large multicenter cohort incorporating 14,433 HIV-1–infected patients in Germany. Treatment-naive patients beginning antiretroviral therapy (ART) with CD4+ cell count