Table 1. Comparing characteristics of sputum smear-negative study participants empirically initiated on TB treatment and those who were not treated.
| Demographic and clinical Characteristic | Total, N = 253 | Treated for TB,N = 85 | Not treated forTB,N = 168 | P value |
| Median age, years (IQR) | 38 (31–44) | 36 (31–41) | 38 (32–45) | 0.141 |
| Median Weight, KG (IQR) | 56 (49–63) | 51 (48–55) | 57 (50–64) | 0.014 |
| Female sex, # (%) | 142 (56.1) | 45 (52.9)) | 97 (58.1)) | 0.437 |
| Median CD4 (IQR) (cells/mm3) | 291 (150–482) | 283 (130–398) | 302 (157–511) | 0.185 |
| *B symptoms present, (fever, weight loss, excessnight sweats) (N = 215) | 174 (80.9) | 70 (90.3) | 104 (75.9) | 0.016 |
| *Shortness of breath, (N = 214) | 60 (28.0) | 27 (34.6) | 33 (24.3) | 0.106 |
| *Chest pain present, (N = 216) | 113 (52.3) | 42 (53.9) | 71 (51.5) | 0.735 |
| *Abnormal respiratory exam, (N = 182) | 37 (20.3) | 16 (25.8) | 21 (17.5) | 0.189 |
| *Abnormal CXR, # (%) (N = 131) | 96/131 (73.3) | 58/64 (90.6) | 38/67 (53.7) | <0.001 |
| Previous TB treatment | 25 (9.9) | 11 (12.9) | 14 (8.3) | 0.250 |
| *WHO stage, (N = 231)Stage 3 and 4 | 113 (48.9) | 48 (59.3) | 65 (43.3) | 0.022 |
| *On ART medication, N = 241, | 162 (67.2) | 56 (65.9) | 106 (68.0) | 0.744 |
*
means the variable number is less than the total N = 253. These were missing data in the clinic patients records most of which were not recorded by the treating clinicians.
Abbreviations: IQR, Interquatile range; CXR, chest X-ray; TB, tuberculosis; WHO, World Health Organization; ART, Antiretroviral therapy.