Molecular characterization and risk analysis of Giardia duodenalis assemblages in corticosteroid-treated and non-treated patients in Ismailia, Arab Republic of Egypt

Table 2 Participants characteristics and risk factor analysis between patients on corticosteroid therapy (POCT) and controls (CONT)

Variable	Categories	Total (N = 52)		POCT (N = 21)		CONT (N = 31)		OR	95% CI	p-value
Variable	Categories	N	%	N	%	N	%
Sex	Male	31	59.6	8	38.1	23	74.2	0.2	0.1–0.8	0.009
Sex	Female	21	40.4	13	61.9	8	25.8	Ref
Mean age in years (SD)		12.3 (16.7)		21.7 (23.4)		5.8 (1.9)		1.5	1.1–2.1	0.006
Residence	Urban	14	26.9	0	0.0	14	45.2	NC
Residence	Rural	38	73.1	21	100.0	17	54.8	Ref
Symptomatic	Yes	25	48.1	9	42.9	16	51.6	0.7	0.2–2.5	0.535
Symptomatic	No	27	51.9	12	57.14	15	48.4	Ref
Abdominal pain	Yes	18	72.0	6	28.6	12	38.7	0.7	0.1–6.2	0.673
Abdominal pain	No	7	28.0	3	14.3	4	12.9	Ref
Diarrhoea	Yes	10	40.0	6	28.6	4	12.9	6.0	0.8–52.6	0.087
Diarrhoea	No	15	60.0	3	14.3	12	38.7	Ref
Other symptoms*	Yes	10	40.0	9	42.9	1	3.2	NC
Other symptoms*	No	15	60.0	0	0.0	15	48.4	Ref
Owns domestic animals	Yes	21	40.4	6	28.6	15	48.4	0.4	0.1–1.6	0.153
Owns domestic animals	No	31	59.6	15	71.4	16	51.6	Ref
Has access to potable water	Yes	45	86.5	21	100.0	24	77.4	NC
Has access to potable water	No	7	13.5	0	0.0	7	22.6	Ref
Has access to sewage system	Yes	39	75.0	15	71.4	24	77.4	0.7	0.2–3.2	0.625
Has access to sewage system	No	13	25.0	6	28.6	7	22.6	Ref
Concomitant parasitic infection	Yes	17	32.7	15	71.4	2	6.5	36.3	5.6–367.7	< 0.001
Concomitant parasitic infection	No	35	67.3	6	28.6	29	93.5	Ref

^*Other symptoms refer to epigastric pain, postprandial heartburn, constipation, loss of weight, nausea, and pallor
Bold numbers reflect statistically significant association
OR Odds ratio, CI Confidence interval, Ref Reference category, SD Standard deviation, POCT Patients on corticosteroid therapy, CONT Controls, NC Not calculable (Zero observations in cells)

ISSN: 1757-4749