Table 1 Clinical and demographic characteristics of participants

Age, years, median (IQR)

33 (31.0–44.0)

39 (35.0–42.0)

44 (38.0–46.0)

0.089^a

Male gender, N (%)

9 (64.3%)

13 (72.2%)

18 (100%)

<  0.05^b

BMI, kg/m²; median (IQR)

26.1 (25.1–27.7)

23.6 (21.7–26.9)

22.5 (20.8–24.6)

<  0.01^a

CD4⁺ T-cell count, cells/μL; median (IQR)

–

558.5 (492.0–705.0)

168 (141.0–256.0)

<  0.001^c

Nadir CD4⁺ T-cell count, cells/μL; median (IQR)

-

69 (25–363.0)

42 (16.0–72.0)

0.055^c

Nadir CD4⁺ T-cell count, cells/μL; mode

-

58

14

<  0.01^b

CD8⁺ T-cell count, cells/μL; median (IQR)

–

703.5 (619.0–950.0)

683.5 (588.0–1000.0)

0.899^c

CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio; median (IQR)

–

0.8 (0.6–1.1)

0.21 (0.2–0.4)

<  0.001^c

Duration of HIV infection, years; median (IQR)

–

5.7 (3.3–10.0)

3.28 (1.1–6.9)

0.066^c

Duration of ART, years; median (IQR)

–

5.5 (2.9–9.39)

2.8 (1.1–6.6)

<  0.05^c