Table 2 Baseline characteristics of participants by cognitive performance (NPZ-6) trajectories.

From: Dual trajectories of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and cognitive function in people living with HIV

Characteristics (median [IQR] or n [%])

Low baseline-Slow Improvement (N = 36)

Gradual Improvement (N = 106)

Late Surge (N = 12)

p-valuea

Holm adjusted p-value 1 vs. 2b

Holm adjusted p-value 1 vs. 3b

Holm adjusted p-value 2 vs. 3b

Age, year

32.0 (28.5, 36)

36.0 (31, 42)

38.0 (34, 42.5)

0.02*

0.02*

0.03

0.24

Sex

    

-

–

–

 Female

21 (58.3%)

70 (66.0%)

11 (91.7%)

 

-

–

–

 Male

15 (41.7%)

36 (34%)

1 (8.3%)

0.11

-

–

–

Years of Education

11 (8, 12)

11 (9, 12)

11 (9.75, 11.25)

0.1

-

–

–

Site

    

-

–

–

 Harare

19 (52.8%)

54 (50.9%)

6 (50%)

 

-

–

–

 Johannesburg

17 (47.2%)

52 (49.1%)

6 (50%)

0.98

-

–

–

 CD4 (cells/mm³)

179 (78.75, 225.5)

194 (132.25, 227.25)

198 (176.5, 231.75)

0.27

-

–

–

 CD8 (cells/mm³)

818 (491.25, 1214)

876 (616.75, 1191.25)

752 (617, 945.75)

0.55

-

–

–

 CD4/CD8 ratio

0.19 (0.11, 0.27)

0.20 (0.14, 0.28)

0.25 (0.22, 0.32)

0.12

-

–

–

 Log10 HIV RNA

4.87 (4.24, 5.56)

5.12 (4.56 5.46)

4.75 (4.49, 5.07)

0.35

-

–

–

 Log10 BDNF

1.96 (1.86, 2.00)

1.94 (1.86 2.02)

2.03 (1.86, 2.15)

0.36

-

–

–

 Log10 ProBDNF

2.06 (1.43, 2.53)

1.51 (1.07, 1.95)

1.60 (1.15, 2.22)

0.02*

0.008**

0.18

0.37

 NPZ-6

0.21 (-0.31. 0.70)

0.33 (-0.12, 0.77)

0.44 (-0.20, 1.02)

< 0.001***

< 0.001***

< 0.001***

0.33

  1. mBDNF, mature Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor; proBDNF, precursor Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor; NPZ-6, Composite cognitive score derived from individual cognitive tests.
  2. aχ2 test or Fisher’s test (if any cell < 5) for categorical variables and Kruskal-Wallis test for continuous variables.
  3. b Post hoc analysis using Dunn’s test.
  4. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001; all bold values are significant.
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