What impact, if any, current recommendations of commencing ART irrespective of CD4+ T cell count, with a presumptive beneficial effect on immunological function and reduction in both AIDS and non-AIDS related conditions in the short term, will have on the development of comorbidities in an ageing population needs to be clarified and further longitudinal studies are necessary to assess the long-term implications of these recommendations. Here, CD4 is linked to AIDS.