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Absolute eosinophil count correlates with temperature and CD4 count independently of HIV infection among tuberculosis patients
Author(s) -
Baluku Joseph Baruch,
Anguzu Godwin Tukumbo,
Bongomin Felix,
Byonanebye Dathan Mirembe
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/tmi.13454
Subject(s) - medicine , interquartile range , confidence interval , tuberculosis , eosinophil , gastroenterology , body mass index , population , immunology , linear regression , absolute neutrophil count , white blood cell , pathology , chemotherapy , neutropenia , environmental health , machine learning , asthma , computer science
Abstract Objective To determine clinical correlates of the peripheral absolute eosinophil count (AEC) among bacteriologically confirmed TB patients in Uganda. Materials and Methods We evaluated data of bacteriologically confirmed adult TB patients who had a peripheral blood AEC measurement at the National TB Treatment Center in Uganda during a cross‐sectional study. We performed linear regression analysis for correlates of log‐transformed AEC. Results We included 235 patients in this analysis with a median (interquartile range, IQR) age of 31 (24–39) years. 60.4% were male, and 33.6% had TB/HIV co‐infection. In a multivariable linear regression model that controlled for age, residence type, HIV status, weight loss, anorexia, body mass index, CD8+ T‐cell count, haemoglobin level and TB bacillary load, males had a 47.0% higher AEC than females (adjusted coefficient ( R 2 ) = 0.385, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.012–0.759 P = 0.043). Also, a 1 °C raise in temperature resulted in an 11.5% decrease in the AEC ( R 2 = −0.122 95% CI (−0.233 to −0.011) P = 0.031) while a 1 cell/mm 3 increase in the CD4+ T‐cell count resulted in a 0.10% increase in the AEC ( R 2 = 0.001 95% CI (0.000–0.001) P = 0.032). Conclusion The AEC was higher among males than females, consistent with the normal population distribution of AEC among Ugandans. The AEC was weakly but positively correlated with the CD4 count and negatively correlated with temperature.