Table. 1 Baseline characteristics of participants in the BRISC microbiome sub-study

From: Effects of iron supplements and iron-containing micronutrient powders on the gut microbiome in Bangladeshi infants: a randomized controlled trial

 

Iron

MNPs

Placebo

 

N = 308

N = 307

N = 308

Union

   

 Bhulta

98/308 (31.8%)

100/307 (32.6%)

100/308 (32.5%)

 Golakandail

112/308 (36.4%)

112/307 (36.5%)

106/308 (34.4%)

 Rupganj

98/308 (31.8%)

95/307 (30.9%)

102/308 (33.1%)

Household with food-secure statusa

242/307 (78.8%)

245/304 (80.6%)

251/305 (82.3%)

Age extra food in addition to breastfed (months), median (IQR)

6.0 (5.0–6.0)

6.0 (5.0–6.0)

6.0 (5.0–6.0)

Hemoglobin concentration (g/L) venous, mean (SD)

110.2 (10.3)

110.2 (9.6)

109.8 (9.2)

Anemia venousb

140/303 (46.2%)

127/298 (42.6%)

135/299 (45.2%)

Ferritin (ug/L), median (IQR)

22.6 (11.7–35.1)

23.6 (13.1–37.2)

23.6 (13.2–38.4)

Iron deficientc

95/294 (32.3%)

74/288 (25.7%)

78/290 (26.9%)

Iron deficient anemia venousd

69/294 (23.5%)

46/288 (16.0%)

60/290 (20.7%)

Hepcidin – (ng/mL), median (IQR)

27.2 (16.0–46.2)

28.7 (14.2–55.5)

33.2 (17.2–53.8)

Low hepcidin (hepcidin <10 ng/mL)

27/227 (11.9%)

34/229 (14.8%)

22/229 (9.6%)

C-reactive protein (mg/L), median (IQR)

0.82 (0.32–2.65)

0.78 (0.31–2.34)

0.81 (0.32–2.85)

Inflammatione

43/294 (14.6%)

36/288 (12.5%)

44/290 (15.2%)

Length/height-for-age z-score, mean (SD)

−1.30 (1.00)

−1.26 (1.05)

−1.35 (0.96)

Stuntedf

75/308 (24.4%)

77/305 (25.2%)

65/308 (21.1%)

Weight-for-age z-score, mean (SD)

−0.53 (1.04)

−0.53 (1.09)

−0.57 (0.94)

Underweightg

21/308 (6.8%)

25/305 (8.2%)

22/308 (7.1%)

Weight-for-length/height z-score, mean (SD)

0.36 (1.00)

0.32 (1.00)

0.34 (1.00)

Wastingh

2/308 (0.6%)

3/305 (1.0%)

2/308 (0.6%)

  1. Data are n/N (%) unless stated otherwise.
  2. MNPs Micronutrient powders, SD Standard Deviation, IQR Interquartile range (25th to 75th percentile).
  3. aHousehold food security was assessed and defined using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale.
  4. bAnemia was defined as venous hemoglobin <110 g/L.1
  5. cIron deficiency was defined as ferritin level <12 µg/L or <30 µg/L if C-reactive protein was (>5 mg/L).1
  6. dIron deficiency anemia was defined as concurrent iron deficiency and anemia.
  7. eInflammation was defined as C-reactive protein >5 mg/L.
  8. fStunting was defined as length-for-age z-score <−2.2
  9. gUnderweight was defined as weight-for-age z-score <−2.2
  10. hWasting was defined as weight-for-length z-score <−2.2
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