Baseline characteristics of included and non-included TB-patients with or without HIV ^a and healthy controls ^b.

<p>^a Total number of recruited subjects with active TB in the cohort was 1116</p><p>^b Total number of recruited healthy controls in the cohort was 298</p><p>c All patients with CD4<500 cells/mm³ were selected for inclusion. For patients with CD4≥500cells/mm³ a consecutive number of patients were selected for inclusion.</p><p>^d Patients could have a simultaneous diagnosis of extrapulmonary and pulmonary TB (included HIV+ patients, n = 3, included HIV-negative patients, n = 2).</p><p>^e BMI is the calculated Body mass index (weight/height²).</p><p>^f MUAC is the mid upper arm circumference measured by a measuring tape.</p><p>Baseline characteristics of included and non-included TB-patients with or without HIV <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0144292#t001fn001" target="_blank">^a</a> and healthy controls <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0144292#t001fn002" target="_blank">^b</a>.</p

ROC curves showing AUC for neopterin and CRP for prediction of CD4 cell strata using three different cut-off levels: <500 cells/mm³, <350 cells/mm³, <100 cells/mm³.

<p>A: CD4 cell count <500 cells/mm³. Includes all participants. B: CD4 cell count <350 cells/mm³. Includes HIV+ patients. C: CD4 cell count <100 cells/mm³. Includes HIV+ patients.</p

Characteristics of study participants at inclusion.

<p>Characteristics of study participants at inclusion.</p

Neopterin and CRPlevels in different CD4 cell count strata in 365 TB patients with and without HIV and 31 controls.

<p>^a Neopterin levels (nmol/l), median (IQR) and number of study subject (n =)</p><p>^b CRP levels (μg/ml), Median (IQR) and number of study subject (n =)</p><p>Neopterin and CRPlevels in different CD4 cell count strata in 365 TB patients with and without HIV and 31 controls.</p

Factors Associated with Early Mortality in HIV-Positive Men and Women Investigated for Tuberculosis at Ethiopian Health Centers

<div><p>Introduction</p><p>Despite increasing access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) in low-income countries, HIV-related mortality is high, especially in the first months following ART initiation. We aimed to evaluate the impact of TB coinfection on early mortality and to assess gender-specific predictors of mortality in a cohort of Ethiopian adults subjected to intensified casefinding for active TB before starting ART.</p><p>Material and Methods</p><p>Prospectively recruited ART-eligible adults (n = 812, 58.6% female) at five Ethiopian health centers were followed for 6 months. At inclusion sputum culture, Xpert MTB/RIF, and smear microscopy were performed (158/812 [19.5%] had TB). Primary outcome was all-cause mortality. We used multivariate Cox models to identify predictors of mortality.</p><p>Results</p><p>In total, 37/812 (4.6%) participants died, 12 (32.4%) of whom had TB. Karnofsky performance score (KPS) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) were associated with mortality in the whole population. However, the associations were different in men and women. In men, only MUAC remained associated with mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.71 [95% CI 0.57–0.88]). In women, KPS <80% was associated with mortality (aHR 10.95 [95% CI 2.33–51.49]), as well as presence of cough (aHR 3.98 [95% CI 1.10–14.36]). Cough was also associated with mortality for TB cases (aHR 8.30 [95% CI 1.06–65.14]), but not for non-TB cases.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>In HIV-positive Ethiopian adults managed at health centers, mortality was associated with reduced performance score and malnutrition, with different distribution with regard to gender and TB coinfection. These robust variables could be used at clinic registration to identify persons at increased risk of early mortality.</p></div

Final multivariate Cox models for mortality after stepwise removal of non-significant variables; five separate models for all, males, females, TB cases and non-TB cases.

<p>Final multivariate Cox models for mortality after stepwise removal of non-significant variables; five separate models for all, males, females, TB cases and non-TB cases.</p

Kaplan-Meier plots comparing survival by gender (A) and tuberculosis coinfection (B).

<p>Kaplan-Meier plots comparing survival by gender (A) and tuberculosis coinfection (B).</p

Flow chart of study participants.

<p>Flow chart of study participants.</p

Baseline neopterin in relation to evolution of CD4 cell count at completion of ATT subdivided into two groups; No increase (CD4 cell count ≤50 cells/mm³ or unchanged CD4 cell count, ± 50 cells/mm³ after 6 months ATT), or increase (CD4 ≥50 cells/mm³ after 6 months ATT).

<p>Graph <b>A</b> displays <b>HIV-</b>patients (n = 85 of whom 58 had an increase in CD4 cell count). Baseline median CD4 cell count for those with increasing CD4 cell count was 405 cells/mm³ and 496 cells/mm³ for those without increasing CD4 cell count (n = 27). Graph <b>B</b> displays <b>HIV+</b> patients who did not start ART (n = 43 of whom 22 had an increase in CD4 cell count). Baseline median CD4 cell count for those with increasing CD4 cell count was 255 cells/mm³ and 411 cells/mm³ for those without increasing CD4 cell count (n = 21).</p

Mortality distribution with regard to ART, gender and TB status.

<p>Mortality distribution with regard to ART, gender and TB status.</p