Impaired distensibility of ascending aorta in patients with HIV infection

BMC Infectious Diseases

Table 4 **Univariate & Multivariate* linear regression analysis: the potential effect of various confounding factors on aortic distensibility in HIV-infected patients**

	Univariate Analyis		Multivariate Analysis
	Beta coefficient	p	Beta coefficient	p
Age (per year)	-0.007	<0.001	-0.006*	<0.001
Female sex	+0.04	0.20
Total Cholesterol	-0.0002	0.27
Hemoglobin	+0.01	0.44
CD4 (+) T-cell count	+0.00007	0.07
Viral load (per 1000 copies increase)	+0.00004	0.76
AIDS	-0.04	0.15
HAART duration (months)	-0.002	0.004	-0.001*	0.04
HAART (exposed vs. naïve)	-0.1	0.01
HIV duration (months)	-0.0005	0.02

HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; HAART, highly active anti-retroviral therapy.
Beta coefficient expresses the mean difference in distensibility. Positive sign corresponds to protective effect while minus sign to decreased distensibility.
* after a stepwise, backward selection, using a p >=0.10 for variable exclusion.

ISSN: 1471-2334