Table 2 Patient demographics and baseline clinical characteristics of patients randomized to receive either ART plus nutritional supplement (NS) or ART alone (Control) for 6 months

Gender – Male

n,%

6 (31.6%)

7 (36.8%)

0.732

8 (30.8%)

5 (41.7%)

0.510

Age (years)

Median (IQR)

37 (32 – 42)

34 (30 – 43)

0.612

37 (32 – 42)

34.5 (31.5 – 42.5)

0.505

Employed

n,%

14 (73.7%)

11 (57.9%)

0.456

15 (57.7%)

10 (83.3%)

0.122

Education

  < Grade 8

n,%

2 (10.5%)

1 (5.3%)

0.222

1 (3.8%)

1 (8.3%)

0.114

  ≥ Grade 8

n,%

17 (89.5%)

18 (94.7%)

24 (92.3%)

11 (91.7%)

Self-reported weight loss (kg)

Median (IQR)

5 (3 – 5)

5 (2 – 9)

0.094

5 (3 – 8)

5 (4 – 7)

0.356

Body mass index (BMI; kg/m²)

Median (IQR)

20.4 (18.0 – 22.4)

19.3 (18.4 – 21.3)

0.197

20.2 (17.6 – 21.7)

19.7 (18.0 – 21.7)

0.842

  < 18.5 kg/m²

n,%

6 (31.6%)

4 (21.1%)

0.461

6 (23.1%)

1 (8.3%)

0.234

Fat (kg)

Median (IQR)

10.6 (10.0 – 17.7)

11.1 (5.5 – 15.5)

0.560

11.1 (9.1 – 15.9)

10.5 (8.6 – 12.0)

0.791

Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

Median (IQR)

104 (90 – 125)

111 (107 – 127)

0.079

111 (102 – 127)

107 (95 – 120)

0.354

Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

Median (IQR)

69 (46 – 76)

71 (66 – 84)

0.209

71 (66 – 87)

68 (56 – 75)

0.209

WHO stage III/IV

n,%

4/12 (33.3%)

7/16 (43.8%)

0.611

7/19 (36.8%)

4/9 (44.4%)

0.966

ART regimen

  TDF/3TC/EFV

n,%

14 (73.7%)

14 (73.7%)

1.000

22 (84.6%)

6 (50.0%)

0.031

  TDF/3TC/NVP

n,%

1 (5.3%)

1 (5.3%)

-

2 (16.7%)

  d4T/3TC/EFV

n,%

4 (21.0%)

4 (21.0%)

4 (15.4%)

4 (33.3%)

CD4 cells/mm³

Median (IQR)

60 (12 – 105)

107 (63 – 165)

0.149

86 (24 – 125)

99 (70 – 121)

0.405

  ≤ 50

n,%

8 (42.1%)

4 (21.0%)

0.027

10 (38.5%)

2 (16.7%)

0.152

  51 – 100

n,%

5 (26.3%)

5 (26.4%)

6 (23.0%)

4 (33.3%)

  101 – 200

n,%

6 (31.6%)

6 (31.6%)

6 (23.0%)

6 (50.0%)

  > 201 – 350

n,%

0 (0.0%)

4 (21.0%)

4 (15.5%)

0 (0.0%)

Hemoglobin (g/dL)

Median (IQR)

10.3 (9.0 – 11.3)

13.1 (11.1 – 14.7)

0.001

11.6 (10.3 – 13.6)

11.0 (9.4 – 12.6)

0.294

  < 10 g/dL

n,%

9 (47.4%)

1 (5.3%)

0.009

5 (19.2%)

5 (41.7%)

0.144

Viral load (log10)

Median (IQR)

5.4 (4.7 – 5.8)

5.6 (5.4 – 6.0)

0.042

5.5 (4.7 – 5.8)

5.2 (4.9 – 5.6)

0.851

Mean cell volume (fL)

Median (IQR)

85.0 (78.4 – 98.9)

91.3 (84.0 – 94.8)

0.090

90.1 (81.5 – 94.6)

83.2 (78.3 – 88.0)

0.096

TB at initiation

n,%

2 (10.5%)

0 (0.0%)

0.157

1 (4.4%)

1 (8.3%)

0.629

Alcohol (current/history)

n,%

8 (42.1%)

4 (21.1%)

0.045

8 (30.8%)

4 (33.3%)

0.846

Smoking (current/history)

n,%

5/19 (26.3%)

1/18 (5.6%)

0.063

3/26 (11.5%)

2/11 (18.2%)

0.409