Table 4. - Distribution of the patients in the TB+ and TB− groups in relation to the results of the biochemical tests and serum selenium levels at the three study time points.a.

Variable	Baseline	30 days after treatment initiation			60 days after treatment initiation
	TB+ group	TB− group	TB+ group	p*	TB− group	TB+ group	p*
	(n = 35)	(n = 15)	(n = 14)		(n = 23)	(n = 11)
Albumin, g/dL				0.792			0.338
< 3.4	11 (100)	1 (33.3)	2 (66.7)		2 (100)	0 (0.0)
3.4-4.8b	24 (100)	13 (54.2)	11 (45.8)		19 (63.3)	11 (36.7)
>4.8	0 (0.0)	1 (50.0)	1 (50.0)		2 (100)	0 (0.0)
CRP, mg/dL				0.617			0.683
< 0.3b	1 (100)	2 (100)	0 (0.0)		2 (100)	0 (0.0)
≥ 0.3	34 (100)	13 (50.0)	13 (50.0)		21 (65.6)	11 (34.4)
CRP/albumin ratioc				0.206			0.041
< 0.4	2 (100)	3 (30.0)	7 (70.0)		12 (75.0)	4 (25.0)
0.4-1.1	11 (100)	5 (50.0)	5 (50.0)		9 (81.8)	2 (18.2)
1.2-2.0	8 (100)	2 (50.0)	2 (50.0)		2 (50.0)	2 (50.0)
> 2.0	13 (100)	3 (100)	0 (0.0)		0 (0.0)	3 (100)
Selenium
< cut-off pointd	24 (100)	9 (47.4)	10 (52.6)	0.518	12 (54.5)	10 (45.5)	0.027
≥ cut-off pointd	11 (100)	6 (60.0)	4 (40.0)		11 (91.7)	1 (8.3)

^TB−: negative sputum culture and negative sputum smear microscopy results at that study time point

^TB+: positive sputum culture or positive sputum smear microscopy results at that study time point

^CRP: C-reactive protein

^aValues expressed as n (%).

^bNormal values.

^cUsed in order to determine the level of complication risks.(13)

^dBased on the median of the results obtained in the healthy control group. *Chi-square test.