Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of study participants
| Baseline characteristics | All participants | Participants who reported previous exposure to TB | Participants without previous reported exposure to TB | Participants with unknown exposure to TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (N = 86) | (N = 56) | (N = 26) | (N = 4) | |
| Females, n (%) | 52 (60%) | 34 (61%) | 16 (64%) | 2 (50%) |
| Median age in years (IQR) | 9.04 (5.67, 12.92) | 9.08 (5.79, 12.92) | 8.58 (5.17, 13.42) | 10.83 (10.42, 11.25) |
| Living with HIV, n (%)* | 2 (2%) | 2 (4%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
| Median duration of symptoms prior to treatment initiation in days (IQR)† | 85 (30, 231) | 60 (30, 261.5) | 90 (30, 212) | 201 (72, 330) |
| Main symptoms‡ | ||||
| Cough, n (%) | 44 (51%) | 31 (55%) | 11 (42%) | 2 (50%) |
| Lymph node swelling, n (%) | 43 (50%) | 29 (52%) | 11 (42%) | 3 (75%) |
| Other, n (%)§ | 8 (9%) | 2 (4%) | 5 (20%) | 1 (25%) |
| BMI for age z-score in SD units† | −1.40 (−2.34, −0.40) | −1.01 (−1.98, −0.36) | −1.95 (−2.70, −0.79) | −1.08 (−1.85, 2.84) |
| Hospitalized, n (%) | 9 (10%) | 4 (7%) | 4 (15%) | 1 (25%) |
| Median distance in kilometers from HLH (IQR)† | 24.2 (13.1, 34.5) | 22.65 (11.05, 34.5) | 24.2 (15.5, 34.5) | 27.3 (24.2, 51.1) |
BMI = body mass index; HLH = Haydom Lutheran Hospital; IQR = interquartile range; TB = tuberculosis.
*
Information on HIV status was available for 65 participants (76%).
†
Difference was not statistically significant according to a two-sample Wilcoxon rank-sum test comparing the median duration of symptoms based on reported TB exposure and distance from HLH (P = 0.62, P = 0.14, and P = 0.16, respectively).
‡
Does not add to 100% as some patients reported cough and lymph node swelling as the main symptoms at the same time.
§
Other symptoms include fevers, sweats, chills, loss of appetite, weight loss, headache, diarrhea, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, chest pain, and lethargy.