Table 3 Predictors of the liver disease in children with HIV infection (multiple regression analysis).

Predictor	Model for ALT		Model for AST		Model for bilirubin		Model for GGTP		Model for APRI		Model for FIB-4
Predictor	β (SE)	p value	β (SE)	p value	β (SE)	p value	β (SE)	p value	β (SE)	p value	β (SE)	p value
Coinfection with HBV or HCV	73.15 (12.74)	<0.0001	39.00 (7.78)	<0.0001	—	—	88.35 (10.46)	<0.0001	0.64 (0.16)	0.0001	0.20 (0.06)	0.001
Duration of cART	−3,34 (1.44)	0.02	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Age	3.51 (1.29)	0.008	—	—	−0.34 (0.12)	0.008	—	—	—	—	0.01 (0.004)	0.006
Hemoglobin	—	—	—	—	2.46 (0.47)	<0.0001	4.46 (2.19)	0.04	—	—	—	—
Total cholesterol	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.22 (0.06)	0.0007	—	—	—	—
Platelets	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	−0.002 (0.0006)	0.01	−0.001 (0.0003)	<0.0001
HIV viral load (detectable)	58.91 (14.15)	0.0001	41.62 (8.86)	<0.0001	5.47 (2.22)	0.01	—	—	0.75 (0.17)	0.0001	0.21 (0.06)	0.002
BMI z-score	—	—	—	—	−1.29 (0.59)	0.03	—	—	—	—	—	—
Model performance
R²	0.47		0.40		0.33		0.55		0.40		0.61
Adjusted R²	0.44		0.38		0.29		0.53		0.38		0.59

Six separate multivariate models were constructed for the following markers of the liver disease: ALT, AST, bilirubin, GGTP, APRI, and FIB-4. Candidate predictors (age, sex, BMI z-score, CD4 count, duration of cART, haemoglobin level, platelet count, total cholesterol, HBV or HCV coinfection, viral load, and AIDS history) were entered into the model, regardless of the results of the univariate analysis. After entering all variables into the model, the variables that showed least significant associations were subsequently excluded until all variables remained significant (p < 0.05). Only predictors showing significance were presented. β – coefficient, SE – standard error. ALT – alanine aminotransferase, AST – aspartate aminotransferase, APRI – aspartate transferase to platelet ratio index, cART – combination antiretroviral therapy, FIB-4 – Fibrosis-4 index, GGTP – gamma glutamyl transferase, HBV – hepatitis B virus, HCV – hepatitis C virus.

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