Table 1

Characteristics of adults presenting with pulmonary tuberculosis in Zomba, Malawi – by plasma HIV load

Characteristic1
HIV negative
HIV positive* Plasma HIV Load (copies/mL)
P-value**




0
≤ 133 200
133 200 – 406 000
> 406 000


n = 222
n = 185
n = 186
n = 186


Sex (% Female)
45.9
63.2
58.1
55.9
0.07
Age (years)
33 ± 12
32 ± 12
33 ± 12
33 ± 12
0.01
Body mass index (BMI) (wt/ht2)
18.6 ± 2.9
19.0 ± 2.6
18.3 ± 3.0
17.3 ± 2.7
0.0001
Wasting:2 No, BMI ≥ 18.5
42.3
51.4
41.9
30.1
0.005
          Mild, BMI 17.0–18.49 (%)
32.0
27.0
22.6
24.2
0.04
          Moderate, BMI 16.0–16.99 (%)
13.1
10.3
17.2
18.8
0.04
          Severe, BMI <16.0 (%)
12.6
11.4
18.3
26.9
0.001
Retinol (μmol/L)
0.636 (0.367, 1.104)
0.603 (0.336, 1.085)
0.585 (0.321, 1.066)
0.522 (0.157, 1.738)
0.001
Vitamin A deficiency, retinol <0.70 μmol/L (%)3
58.6
57.3
64.0
66.7
0.05
Total Carotenoids (μmol/L)4
0.846 (0.490, 1.459)
0.795 (0.476, 1.329)
0.700 (0.385, 1.279)
0.509 (0.279, 0.929)
0.0001
α-tocopherol (μmol/L)
15.18 (11.71, 19.65)
14.90 (11.60, 19.16)
15.66 (11.85, 20.71)
16.07 (11.53, 22.40)
0.02
Vitamin E def., α-tocopherol <11.6 μmol/L (%)3
13.1
14.6
11.8
12.4
0.67
Zinc (μmol/L)
8.95 (7.01, 11.43)
8.83 (6.94, 11.25)
8.49 (6.44, 11.19)
9.15 (6.47, 12.94)
0.82
Zinc deficiency, zinc <11.5 μmol/L (%)3
84.2
88.1
87.6
77.4
0.09
Selenium (μmol/L)
0.687 ± 0.23
0.664 ± 0.22
0.624 ± 0.22
0.559 ± 0.21
0.0001
Selenium deficiency, selenium<0.89 μmol/L(%)3
79.7
84.9
90.3
92.5
0.001

1 Mean ± SD for continues variables with normal distribution, geometric mean (lower, upper SD) when distribution was not normal

2 Grading based on WHO Expert report, reference 27.

3 Cut-offs based on reference 28.

4α-carotene + β-carotene + β-cryptoxanthin + lycopene + lutein + zeaxanthin

* HIV load could not be determined for 21 individuals.

* *ANOVA, linear trend across the 4 categories of plasma HIV load.

van Lettow et al. BMC Infectious Diseases 2004 4:61   doi:10.1186/1471-2334-4-61