Childhood age (β = − 0.015; 95% Cl − 0.021, − 0.009), opportunistic infection at ART initiation (β = − 0.044, 95% CI − 0.085, − 0.004), hemoglobin level (β = 0.013; 95% CI 0.004, 0.022), and baseline WHO clinical stage II (β = − 0.046, 95% CI − 0.091, − 0.0003) were significant predictors of CD4 changes over time. Here, CD4 is linked to Opportunistic infection.