Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is usually observed among patients with HIV infection. No study to date has investigated the impact of CMV infection on HIV viral load decay during antiretroviral therapy.

Methods: 345 consecutive HIV patients coinfected (N=300) or not (N=45) with CMV were enrolled. Clinical, biological and virological data were collected from HIV antiretroviral therapy initiation to the day of HIV viral load undetectability if any.

Inclusion Criteria:

• HIV patients starting an antiretroviral therapy
• CMV serology available at antiretroviral therapy initiation
• HIV viral load assessed at each follow-up visit after treatment initiation

Exclusion Criteria:

• HIV antiretroviral treatment initiation before June 2005

HIV-infected patients followed at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Croix-Rousse Hospital, Groupement Hospitalier Nord, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France between June 2005 and July 2016 starting an antiretroviral treatment and with available CMV serology at treatment initiation.