Antiretroviral therapy: General principles ART aims to Reduce the plasma HIV RNA level to undetectable (ie, < 20 to 50 copies / mL) Restore the CD4 count to a normal level (immune restoration or reconstitution) A poor CD4 count response is more likely if the CD4 count at initiation of treatment is low (especially if < 50 / mcL) and / or the HIV RNA level is high.