Timing of antiretroviral therapy initiation after diagnosis of recent human immunodeficiency virus infection and CD4+ T-cell recovery

We retrospectively examined the timing of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and CD4(+) T-cell recovery over 36 months among recent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections using BED (HIV-1 subtypes B, E and D) immunoglobulin G capture enzyme immunoassay (BED-CEIA). Regardless of baseline CD4(+) counts, individuals (n = 393) who initiated ART > 2 months after diagnosis had significantly decreased probability and rate of achieving CD4(+) counts >= 900 cells/>= L or >= 600 cells/>= L than those individuals (n = 135) who started ART earlier (>= 2 months). But the mean CD4(+) counts in two groups converged after 30 months of treatment. Early ART initiation leads to accelerated CD4(+) recovery, but does not offer a longterm advantage in CD4(+) counts. Clinical Microbiology and Infection (C) 2015 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.