Alejos B, et al. - Participants recruited in NEAT 001/ANRS 143, a randomized, open-label trial comparing ritonavir-boosted darunavir (DRV/r) plus raltegravir with DRV/r plus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine in antiretroviral therapy-naïve HIV-positive adults were examined for factors associated with baseline blood telomere length. Researchers randomly selected 201 participants who had stored samples available for this cross-sectional study. Using monochrome quantitative multiplex polymerase chain reaction, telomere length (ie the relative telomere length, calculated as the telomere to single-copy gene ratio) was determined at baseline. As per the multivariable analysis, older age and HIV RNA ≥ 100,000 copies/mL were independently correlated with shorter telomere length in untreated persons living with HIV. Results thereby suggest the synergistic and independent impacts of HIV infection and age on immunosenescence.