Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of 2145 Study Participants at Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Initiation, by Serum Albumin Concentration, and Univariate and Multivariate Risk Factor Analyses for Hypoalbuminemia
| Characteristic | No. (%) of Subjects, by Serum Albumin Concentration |
Univariate Analysis |
Multivariate Analysis |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≥35 g/L (n = 1216) | <35 g/L (n = 929) | RR (95% CI) | P | RR (95% CI) | P | |
| Sex | ||||||
| Female (ref) | 831 (68.3) | 653 (70.3) | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
| Male | 385 (31.7) | 276 (29.7) | .95 (.85–1.06) | .336 | 1.03 (1.28–1.77) | .491 |
| Age, y | ||||||
| <30 (ref) | 198 (16.3) | 122 (13.1) | 1.0 | .229a | 1.0 | .033a |
| 30–40 | 581 (47.8) | 466 (50.2) | 1.17 (1.00–1.36) | 1.13 (.98–1.30) | ||
| 40–50 | 326 (26.8) | 248 (26.7) | 1.13 (.96–1.34) | 1.17 (1.00–1.36) | ||
| >50 | 111 (9.1) | 93 (10.0) | 1.20 (.97–1.47) | 1.23 (1.02–1.49) | ||
| BMI | ||||||
| <16.0 | 28 (2.3) | 105 (11.4) | 2.00 (1.79–2.23) | <.001a | 1.56 (1.38–1.77) | <.001a |
| 16.0–18.5 | 179 (14.9) | 250 (27.0) | 1.47 (1.33–1.64) | 1.30 (1.17–1.44) | ||
| 18.5–25 | 741 (61.5) | 484 (52.4) | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
| >25.0 | 257 (21.3) | 85 (9.2) | .79 (.38–1.64) | .78 (.64–.94) | ||
| WHO HIV disease stage | ||||||
| I/II | 360 (26.3) | 120 (14.0) | 1.0 | <.001a | 1.0 | <.001a |
| III | 654 (47.8) | 573 (67.0) | 1.87 (1.58–2.21) | 1.51 (1.28–1.77) | ||
| IV | 67 (7.0) | 162 (18.9) | 2.51 (2.10–3.01) | 1.72 (1.44–2.06) | ||
| CD4+ T-cell count, cells/μL | ||||||
| <50 | 227 (19.2) | 208 (23.5) | 1.05 (.91–1.22) | .117a | .96 (.84–1.11) | .762a |
| 50–100 | 215 (18.1) | 198 (22.4) | 1.07 (.92–1.23) | .99 (.87–1.14) | ||
| 100–200 | 507 (42.8) | 286 (32.3) | .80 (.70–.92) | .91 (.80–1.04) | ||
| >200 | 236 (19.9) | 193 (21.8) | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
| Hemoglobin level, g/dL | ||||||
| <8.5 | 120 (10.5) | 308 (34.3) | 2.95 (2.56–3.40) | <.001a | 2.47 (2.13–2.88) | <.001a |
| 8.5–11 | 484 (42.2) | 416 (46.3) | 1.90 (1.64–2.20) | 1.77 (1.53–2.06) | ||
| ≥11 | 543 (47.3) | 175 (19.5) | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
| ALT level, IU/L | ||||||
| ≤40 | 1102 (90.6) | 800 (86.1) | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||
| >40 | 114 (9.4) | 129 (13.9) | 1.27 (1.11–1.45) | <.001 | 1.20 (1.06–1.36) | .003 |
| ART regimenb | ||||||
| d4T, 3TC, NVP | 695 (57.7) | 575 (61.8) | … | … | ||
| d4T, 3TC, EFV | 96 (7.9) | 107 (11.5) | … | … | ||
| AZT, 3TC, NVP | 113 (9.3) | 60 (6.5) | … | … | ||
| AZT, 3TC, EFV | 312 (25.7) | 187 (20.1) | … | … | ||
Hypoalbuminemia was defined as a serum albumin concentration of <35 g/L.
Abbreviations: ALT, alanine transaminase; BMI, body mass index (calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by the height in meters squared); CI, confidence interval; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; ref, reference group; RR, relative risk; WHO, World Health Organization.
a Test for trend.
b Not included in risk factor analyses because ART was prescribed after serum albumin concentration was assessed.