Furthermore, 11 variables (current ARV medication use, ethnicity, history of hyperlipidemia, history of cerebrovascular disease, history of cannabis use, history of cocaine use, history of opiate use, serum hemoglobin, CD4 nadir, plasma viral loads and duration of HIV infection) were assessed as potential confounders in a stepwise approach in the adjusted model. Here, CD4 is linked to hyperlipidemia.