Table 2.
Clinical and laboratory findings in arginine and placebo groups at the end of the first and second months*.
| Sign and symptom | Group | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arginine N = 32 (%) |
Placebo N = 31 (%) |
||
| Constitutional symptoms | |||
| First month | 11 (34.4) | 19 (61.3) | 0.032 |
| Second month | 3 (9.4) | 8 (25.8) | 0.085 |
| Cough | |||
| First month | 15 (46.9) | 19 (61.3) | 0.25 |
| Second month | 3 (9.4) | 5 (16.1) | 0.424 |
| BMI < 18.5 | |||
| First month | 4 (12.5) | 11 (35.5) | 0.032 |
| Second month | 1 (3.1) | 6 (19.4) | 0.04 |
| Positive sputum smear | |||
| First month | 14 (43.8) | 18 (58.1) | 0.254 |
| Second month | 1 (3.1) | 4 (12.9) | 0.15 |
| Anemia | |||
| First month | 6 (18.8) | 12 (38.7) | 0.08 |
| Second month | 2 (6.3) | 7 (22.6) | 0.064 |
| ↑ ESR mm/h | |||
| First month | 25 (78.1) | 26 (83.9) | 0.561 |
| Second month | 11 (34.4) | 15 (48.4) | 0.258 |
| ↑ CRP | |||
| First month | 8 (25) | 16 (51.6) | 0.03 |
| Second month | 2 (6.3) | 6 (19.4) | 0.118 |
| Final treatment success (end of sixth month) | 32 (100%) | 31 (100%) | — |
*Categorical variables were compared using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test where appropriate. Continuous variables were compared using the t-test or the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test according to data distribution.