Table 1.
Intervention rules used in all g-formula analyses
| Strategy | Motivationa | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ≥ 1 & < 5 years | i) | Start ART immediately, irrespective of CD4 count | =WHO 2013 criterion |
| ii) | Start ART if CD4 count < 750 cells/mm3 or CD4% < 25% or WAZ < -2 (as a proxy for a severe event) | ≈WHO 2010 criterion | |
| iii) | Start ART if CD4 count < 350 cells/mm3 or CD4% < 15% or WAZ < -2 (as a proxy for a severe event) | ≈WHO 2006 criterionb | |
| iv) | Do not start ART | reference criterion | |
| ≥ 5 & < 10 years | i) | Start ART immediately, irrespective of CD4 count | =WHO 2015 criterion |
| ii) | Start ART if CD4 count < 500 cells/mm3 or WAZ < -2 (as a proxy for a severe event) | ≈WHO 2013 criterion | |
| iii) | Start ART if CD4 count < 350 cells/mm3 or WAZ <-2 (as a proxy for a severe event) | ≈WHO 2010 criterion | |
| iv) | Start ART if CD4 count < 200 cells/mm3 or WAZ < -2 (as a proxy for a severe event) | ≈WHO 2006 criterionc | |
| v) | Do not start ART | reference criterion | |
| ≥ 10 & < 16 yearsd | i) | Start ART immediately, irrespective of CD4 count | =WHO 2015 criterion |
| ii) | Start ART if CD4 count < 500 cells/mm3 | ≈WHO 2013 criterion | |
| iii) | Start ART if CD4 count < 350 cells/mm3 | ≈WHO 2010 criterion | |
| iv) | Start ART if CD4 count < 200 cells/mm3 | ≈WHO 2006 criterion | |
| v) | Do not start ART | reference criterion |
a
See [http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/guidelines/en] for WHO guideline documents
b
For children aged 36-59 months.
c
WHO 2006 criteria for children aged ≥ 5 years also supported ART initiation if CD4% < 15%.
d
We do not use WAZ for treatment assignment because there are no WAZ standards for children aged ≥ 10 years. We also do not use BMIAZ for treatment assignment since there is no clear threshold to approximate severe clinical events.