Table 5

Fatigue two years after Giardia infection reported in a cohort of 1017 cases, associated with patient characteristics and factors during giardiasis.

Characteristics

N

Fatigue

Not more than usual

N (%)

More than usual

N (%)

Much more than usual

N (%)

Simple regression analysis^a

Multiple regression analysis^b

OR

P-value

OR

p-value

95% CI

Gender

Ns

Male

338

199 (59)

107 (32)

32 (10)

1.00

1.00

Female

592

312 (53)

199 (34)

81 (14)

1.32

0.038

-

Age^c (years)

930

1.02

<0.001

1.02

0.007

(1.01, 1.03)

Abdominal problems before 2004 leading to

Visiting doctor

114

49 (43)

50 (44)

15 (13)

1.56

0.020

-

Ns

Hospitalisation

14

4 (29)

8 (57)

2 (14)

2.21

0.113

-

Ns

Sick leave

17

6 (35)

10 (59)

1 (6)

1.60

0.309

-

Ns

Use of medication

35

15 (43)

18 (51)

2 (6)

1.31

0.414

-

Ns

Problems without seeking health care

95

45 (47)

40 (42)

10 (11)

1.26

0.256

2.13

0.025

(1.10, 4.15)

No abdominal Problems before 2004

662

380 (57)

198 (30)

84 (13)

0.78

0.081

-

Ns

Acute giardiasis

Diarrhoea

839

456 (54)

279 (33)

104 (12)

1.28

0.255

-

Ns

Abdominal pain

646

322 (50)

236 (37)

88 (14)

1.95

<0.001

-

Ns

Weight loss

506

255 (50)

180 (36)

71 (14)

1.50

0.002

-

Ns

Malaise

714

334 (47)

277 (39)

103 (14)

5.03

<0.001

3.68

<0.001

(2.25, 6.01)

Nausea

604

302 (50)

215 (36)

87 (14)

1.81

<0.001

-

Ns

Foul smell

580

290 (50)

201 (35)

89 (15)

1.80

<0.001

-

Ns

Bloating

622

311 (50)

224 (36)

87 (14)

1.84

<0.001

-

Ns

Treatment refractory infection^d

29

13 (45)

11 (38)

5 (17)

1.52

0.236

-

Ns

Treatment courses^e

<0.001

0 or 1

326

249 (76)

68 (21)

9 (3)

1.00

1.00

2 or more

227

128 (56)

77 (34)

22 (10)

2.55

<0.001

1.98

0.002

(1.28, 3.07)

Recovered during course but relapsed

3

2 (67)

1 (33)

0 (0)

1.50

0.742

2.37

Ns

(0.19, 29.08)

Not recovered

371

129 (35)

160 (43)

82 (22)

6.39

<0.001

6.20

<0.001

(4.16, 9.24)

Sick leave^e

0.001

No sick leave

368

232 (63)

106 (29)

30 (8)

1.00

1.00

< 1 week

58

30 (52)

24 (41)

4 (7)

1.45

0.180

0.93

Ns

(0.49, 1.77)

1-2 weeks

98

63 (64)

29 (30)

6 (6)

0.93

0.740

0.72

Ns

(0.42, 1.23)

> 2 weeks

150

55 (37)

50 (33)

45 (30)

3.63

<0.001

2.26

<0.001

(1.45, 3.53)

Not working

232

125 (54)

84 (36)

23 (10)

1.42

0.035

1.08

Ns

(0.71, 1.63)

Delayed education^e

0.001

No delay

291

205 (70)

67 (23)

19 (7)

1.00

1.00

< 1 semester

66

31 (47)

30 (46)

5 (8)

2.34

0.002

1.79

0.049

(1.00, 3.19)

1 semester

39

13 (33)

17 (44)

9 (23)

4.64

<0.001

2.80

0.004

(1.39, 5.66)

> 1 semester

35

8 (23)

13 (37)

14 (40)

9.21

<0.001

3.88

<0.001

(1.82, 8.30)

Not a student

357

188 (53)

121 (34)

48 (13)

2.17

<0.001

1.51

0.033

(1.03, 2.21)

Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; Ns, not significant.

^a Simple ordinal logistic regression analysis (proportional odds model).

^b Ordinal logistic regression analysis (proportional odds model). Multiple regression analysis included all variables in the table. Missing values; n = 241

^c Age as continuous variable in the statistical analysis.

^d All cases successfully treated with albendazole + metronidazole, paromomycin or quinacrine + metronidazole after 30 (mean) weeks duration of infection [11].

^e Categorical variable in the statistical analysis including the categories shown in the table. Likelihood-ratio test (STATA)

Mørch et al. BMC Infectious Diseases 2009 9:206   doi:10.1186/1471-2334-9-206