In addition to viral and immunologic parameters, metabolic factors have been shown to be associated with disease progression, and are putative candidates to predict CD4 recovery: advanced HIV infection (i.e., low CD4 counts) is associated with chronic inflammation and increased immune activation, with alteration of metabolic parameters associated with lipid metabolism and increased atherogenic risk (as assessed by increased carotid intima-media thickness) in subjects of both sexes [18,19]. This evidence concerns the gene CD4 and HIV infectious disease.