Characteristics of HIV-1-infected patients with CD4 : CD8 lymphocyte rationormalization on antiretroviral therapy

Antiretroviral therapy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection res ults in normalization of CD4: CD8 T-lymphocyte ratio in about 6% of cases. The T-cell ratio normalization on therapy was associated with a baseline CD 4 of over 350 cells per microliter and a T-cell ratio of over 0.5 (for each , p<0.01), but not with the current level of viral load suppression or comp liance with clinic appointments (for each, p<0.05). The patients with T-cel l ratio normalization had a baseline median CD4 count of 428 cells per micr oliter (range, 353-883 cells per microliter) and a median T-cell ratio of 0 .75 (range, 0.54-0.87). We could not address the effect of baseline viral l oad on T-cell ratio normalization, but there was no association with age, g ender, race, HIV risk factor, or the length of antiretroviral therapy.