Table 1

Comparison of demographic and laboratory characteristics of PLWHA in different immunological response statuses

VariablesWithout immunological response (n=101)With immunological response (n=225)P value
Categorical variables
Gender0.210
Male89 (88.1)186 (82.7)
Ethnicity0.267
Han Chinese100 (99.0)216 (96.0)
Other1 (1.0)9 (4.0)
Occupation0.189
Farmers33 (32.7)84 (37.3)
Service industry11 (10.9)30 (13.3)
Worker category35 (34.7)49 (21.8)
To be employed7 (6.9)20 (8.9)
Other15 (14.9)42 (18.7)
Education level0.227
Primary school or under35 (34.7)62 (27.6)
Middle and high school53 (52.5)119 (52.9)
College or above13 (12.9)44 (19.6)
History of venereal disease0.576
None84 (83.2)182 (80.9)
Yes16 (15.8)42 (18.7)
Not available1 (1.0)1 (0.4)
Route of infection0.505
MSM43 (42.6)87 (38.7)
HR58 (57.4)138 (61.3)
Contact history0.359
History of men who have sex with men37 (36.6)73 (32.4)
Sexual contact occurring out of wedlock60 (59.4)134 (59.6)
Sexual contact with a partner4 (4.0)18 (8.0)
Marital status0.368
Unmarried31 (30.7)70 (31.1)
Married or with a spouse46 (45.5)116 (51.6)
Divorced or widowed24 (23.8)39 (17.3)
Regimens0.876
3TC+AZT+EFV18 (17.8)35 (15.6)
3TC+EFV+TDF77 (76.2)176 (78.2)
Other6 (5.9)14 (6.2)
Infection status0.002
AIDS21 (20.8)86 (38.2)
HIV80 (79.2)139 (61.8)
Sample source0.964
Preoperative testing24 (23.8)53 (23.6)
Testing consultancy20 (19.8)50 (22.2)
Other attendee testing25 (24.8)52 (23.1)
Other32 (31.7)70 (31.1)
WHO Clinical Classification0.228
I or II99 (98.0)224 (99.6)
III or IV2 (2.0)1 (0.4)
Continuous variables
Age (years)43.0 (30.0–56.0)40.0 (29.0–52.0)0.368
BMI (kg/m2)22.5 (20.0–24.8)21.9 (20.0–23.8)0.392
First CD4 cell counts (pcs/uL)382.0 (246.0–477.0)237.0 (155.0–325.0)<0.001
CD8 cell counts (pcs/uL)572.0 (466.2–779.0)691.0 (487.5–975.4)0.027
AST (U/L)23.0 (19.4–28.0)23.0 (18.6–29.6)0.844
ALT (U/L)24.8 (16.0–37.2)25.0 (17.6–39.0)0.495
SCR (μmol/L)70.3 (59.0–78.1)70.9 (62.0–80.6)0.539
HB (g/L)146.5 (134.5–156.0)149.0 (135.0–159.0)0.240
PLT (109/L)199.5 (166.5–240.5)210.0 (171.0–241.0)0.287
WBC (109/L)5.2 (4.3–6.2)5.8 (4.7–6.9)0.015
Time from diagnosis to start of treatment (days)13.0 (12.0–25.0)12.0 (8.0–19.0)0.059
  • Note: Information on continuous variables: none followed a normal distribution, statistical description using median (lower quartile, upper quartile) and Mann-Whitney test to compare differences between groups. Information on categorical variables: statistical description using frequency (composition ratio), χ2 test on R x C scale or Fisher’s exact probability method to compare differences between groups.

  • ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; BMI, body mass index; CD4, CD4+ T lymphocyte; CD8, CD8+ T lymphocyte; HB, haemoglobin; HR, heterosexual transmission; MSM, men who have sex with men; PLT, platelets; PLWHA, people living with HIV/AIDS; SCR, serum creatinine; 3TC+AZT+EFV, zidovudine + efavirenz + lamivudine; 3TC+EFV+TDF, lamivudine + efavirenz + tenofovir.; WBC, white blood cells.