3. Cerebrospinal fluid fungal clearance results.
| Trial ID | Number of participants assessed for this outcome | Trial conclusions | Results | |
| Early ART | Delayed ART | |||
| Bisson 20131 | 28 | No difference between groups | Rate of fungal clearance: ‐0.32 log10 CFUs/mL/day | Rate of fungal clearance: ‐0.52 log10 CFUs/mL/day |
| Boulware 20142 | 166 | No difference between groups | CSF culture positivity at 14 days of amphotericin B therapy: cumulative incidence of 37% (95% CI 26% to 49%) | CSF culture positivity at 14 days of amphotericin B therapy: cumulative incidence of 39% (95% CI 28% to 50%) |
Abbreviations: CFU: colony forming units; CI: confidence interval; CSF: cerebrospinal fluid
1The trial authors reported: "The median numbers of CSF CFU measurements for the control and intervention arms, respectively, were 3 (IQR, 2–4 [range, 1–9]) and 4 (IQR, 2–5 [range, 1–7]) (P = .2, rank‐sum test). The generalized estimating equation regression coefficient for the intervention was 0.20 (95% CI, ‐.85 to 1.25), indicating that intervention subjects had a rate of CSF clearance that tended to be 0.20 log10 CSF CFU/mL/day slower than controls, although this difference was not significant." 2The trial authors reported: "Similar rates of CSF culture positivity at 14 days (37% in the earlier‐ART group and 39% in the deferred‐ART group, P = 0.87). Among 59 participants with positive CSF cultures at 14 days, the median cryptococcal growth was 100 CFU per millilitre (interquartile range, 15 to 500), with no significant difference between treatment groups (P = 0.13); only 5 participants had more than 10,000 CFU per millilitre in CSF."