Linear mixed models for evaluating CD4+ count progression and its predictors: a four-year longitudinal study at Yekatit 12 Referral Hospital, Ethiopia
Abstract
Despite significant improvement in the use of antiretroviral therapy, HIV/AIDS remains to be one of the major public health challenges in Sub-Saharan African countries including Ethiopia. The main objective of the study was to identify factors associated with progression of CD4+ cell counts of HIV patients on ART. A longitudinal data was extracted from SMARTCARE of patients on ART from September 2009 to January 2016 in Yekatit 12 referral Hospital. The data was analyzed using linear mixed model taking correlation between CD4+ counts of patients into account. We included 217 patients of whom 65% were females and only 51.61% of patients were followed until the last follow up time. The missingness in the data was handled using direct likelihood and multiple imputation approaches. Results from the two methods were found to be comparable. Thus, baseline WHO clinical stage, time on treatment and the interaction effects of sex, age, baseline CD4+ count and regimen class with time were found significantly associated with progression of CD4+ count. We concluded that HIV/AIDS patients should be put on ART at early stages despite their baseline CD4+ cell count and treatments should be taken continuously to improve the progression of CD4+ count.
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BibTeX
@article{cherie2026linear,
title = {{Linear mixed models for evaluating CD4+ count progression and its predictors: a four-year longitudinal study at Yekatit 12 Referral Hospital, Ethiopia}},
author = {Kebadu Tadesse Cherie},
journal = {Healthcare in Low-resource Settings},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.4081/hls.2026.14227},
url = {https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2026.14227},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Linear mixed models for evaluating CD4+ count progression and its predictors: a four-year longitudinal study at Yekatit 12 Referral Hospital, Ethiopia
AU - Kebadu Tadesse Cherie
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/24
JO - Healthcare in Low-resource Settings
DO - 10.4081/hls.2026.14227
UR - https://doi.org/10.4081/hls.2026.14227
AB - Despite significant improvement in the use of antiretroviral therapy, HIV/AIDS remains to be one of the major public health challenges in Sub-Saharan African countries including Ethiopia. The main objective of the study was to identify factors associated with progression of CD4+ cell counts of HIV patients on ART. A longitudinal data was extracted from SMARTCARE of patients on ART from September 2009 to January 2016 in Yekatit 12 referral Hospital. The data was analyzed using linear mixed model taking correlation between CD4+ counts of patients into account. We included 217 patients of whom 65% were females and only 51.61% of patients were followed until the last follow up time. The missingness in the data was handled using direct likelihood and multiple imputation approaches. Results from the two methods were found to be comparable. Thus, baseline WHO clinical stage, time on treatment and the interaction effects of sex, age, baseline CD4+ count and regimen class with time were found significantly associated with progression of CD4+ count. We concluded that HIV/AIDS patients should be put on ART at early stages despite their baseline CD4+ cell count and treatments should be taken continuously to improve the progression of CD4+ count.
SN - 2281-7824
ER -