Table 2

Baseline laboratory findings

Prednisolone (n=29) Placebo (n=29)
Haemoglobin (< 12 g/dl)2019
Total white cell count (< 4.0 cell/μl)61
 Neutrophil (< 1.8 cell/μl)31
 Lymphocyte (< 1.0 cell/μl)14
Platelet count (< 100 cell/μl)21
Median (interquartile range) CD4+ count2-150 374  (220–418)254  (132–352)
 < 200 cells/μl35
 200–500 cells/μl105
 > 500 cells/μl23
Median (interquartile range) values of liver function tests
 Bilirubin11 (10–180)11 (10–27)
 Aspartate transaminase35 (5–520)32 (6–127)
 Alkaline phosphatase178 (145–361)237 (100–610)
 Albumin1612
Cardiothoracic ratio (chestx ray)2-151
 < 55%00
 55–75%96
 > 75%58
ECG2-152 (low voltage)45
Mean (SD) pericardial effusion size on echocardiography (cm)
 Anterior2.5 (2.1)2.2 (1.3)
Posterior2.6 (1.0)2.8 (1.3)
Subcostal2.7 (1.0)2.7 (1.0)

  • ↵2-150 CD4 cell counts were available on admission for 15 prednisolone and 13 placebo treated patients.

  • ↵2-151 Chest radiographs were available on admission in 14 prednisolone and 14 placebo treated patients.

  • ↵2-152 ECGs were available on admission in 18 prednislone and 16 placebo treated patients.