Table 1 Pretreatment characteristics of 323 perinatally HIV-infected South African children enrolled in Neverest 2 by sex
Characteristics | Enrolled children (n = 323) | Â | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â | Boys (n = 168) | Girls (n = 155) | P-value |
Age at treatment start, N (%) | Â | Â | Â |
  <6 months | 41 (24.4) | 61 (39.4) |  |
  6-12 months | 70 (41.7) | 45 (29.0) | 0.009 |
  12-24 months | 57 (33.9) | 49 (31.6) |  |
  Median (range) in months | 9.6 (2.2-24.2) | 7.9 (2.0-24.9) | 0.098 |
HIV-1 RNA quantity, N (%) | Â | Â | 0.475 |
  <100,000 copies/ml | 16 (10.6) | 9 (6.8) | |
  100,000-750,000 copies/ml | 39 (25.8) | 39 (29.6) | |
  ≥750,000 copies/ml | 96 (63.6) | 84 (63.6) | |
CD4 count in cells/mm3, Mean (SD) | 1001 (724) | 1011 (786) | 0.909 |
CD4 percent, N (%) | Â | Â | Â |
  <10 | 30 (19.1) | 25 (17.0) |  |
  10-14.9 | 35 (22.3) | 26 (17.7) | 0.463 |
  ≥15 | 92 (58.6) | 96 (65.3) |  |
  Median (range) | 16.8 (0.8-43.0) | 19.1 (1.2-39.1) | 0.163 |
WHO Stage, N (%) | Â | Â | Â |
  I/II | 29 (21.0) | 22 (17.5) | 0.465 |
  III/IV | 109 (79.0) | 104 (82.5) | |
Weight for age Z-score | Â | Â | Â |
  Mean (SD) | −2.70 (1.8) | −2.28 (1.6) | 0.041 |
  Z-score < −2, N (%) | 98 (66.7) | 71 (49.7) | 0.003 |
Height for age Z-score | Â | Â | Â |
  Mean (SD) | −3.72 (1.8) | −3.11 (1.6) | 0.003 |
  Z-score < −2, N (%) | 125 (86.2) | 108 (76.6) | 0.037 |