TABLE 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics
| Parameterb | Value for the group |
|
|---|---|---|
| NTZ (n = 20) | Standard therapy (n = 10)a | |
| No. (%) of male subjects | 13 (65) | 7 (70) |
| Median age (yr [IQR]) | 24.5 (21, 27) | 35.5 (25, 41) |
| Median weight (kg [IQR]) | 56 (48.5, 60.1) | 53.8 (50, 57.5) |
| Median hemoglobin at baseline (g/dl [IQR]) | 10.7 (9.7, 11.5) | 10.95 (9.5, 12.2) |
| Median ALT at baseline (U/liter [IQR]) | 27.5 (20.5, 46.5) | 19.5 (18, 23) |
| Median AST at baseline (U/liter [IQR]) | 28 (20, 37.5) | 22.5 (18, 29) |
| Median alkaline phosphatase at baseline (U/liter [IQR]) | 106.5 (92.5, 141.5) | 94.5 (71, 115) |
| Median creatinine at baseline (mg/dl [IQR]) | 0.8 (0.7, 0.9) | 0.7 (0.6, 0.9) |
| Bilateral disease present on chest radiography | 11 (55) | 6 (60) |
| Cavities present on chest radiography | 14 (70) | 6 (60) |
| AFB smear grade (no. [%] of subjects) | ||
| 0 | 5 (25) | 1 (10) |
| 1+ | 0 (0) | 1 (10) |
| 2+ | 9 (45) | 6 (20) |
| 3+ | 6 (30) | 2 (20) |
| GeneXpert semiquantitative level (no. [%] of subjects) | ||
| Very low | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Low | 1 (5) | 1 (10) |
| Medium | 5 (25) | 3 (30 |
| High | 14 (70) | 6 (60) |
| Baseline time (h) to positivity (mean ± SD) | 90.6 ± 23.2 | 85.9 ± 9.2 |
| Baseline log10 CFU/ml (mean ± SD) | 6.5 ± 0.8 | 6.5 ± 0.4 |
a
Standard therapy refers to rifampin, isoniazid, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide therapy.
b
Standard therapy patients were older than NTZ patients (P = 0.029, by two-sample t test). All other characteristics did not differ between the two groups. ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; AFB, acid-fast bacillus.