Table 3. Clinical stage and presentation of 1383 noma cases managed at NCH between 1999 to 2024.
| Variables | Age of patients | All cases | p-value | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <5 years | 5–9 years | 10–17 years | 18–39 years | 40–64 years | >65 years | ||||
| WHO noma stage (n = 1383) |
1 | 3 (0.5) | 2 (0.6) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 (0.4) | <0.001a |
| 2 | 81 (14.2) | 11 (3.2) | 6 (3.6) | 3 (1.3) | 0 | 0 | 101 (7.3) | ||
| 3 | 439 (77.2) | 249 (73.5) | 83 (50.3) | 49 (21.8) | 5 (6.9) | 0 | 825 (59.7) | ||
| 4 | 42 (7.4) | 72 (21.2) | 73 (44.2) | 124 (55.1) | 28 (38.9) | 7 (53.8) | 346 (25.0) | ||
| 5 | 4 (0.7) | 5 (1.5) | 3 (1.8) | 49 (21.8) | 39 (54.2) | 6 (46.2) | 106 (7.7) | ||
| Body weight (kg) (n = 858) |
Median (IQR) | 8.8 (7.1-10.6) | 15 (11.1-19) | 31 (20-38.3) | 52 (45-60) | 55.5 (48-62.3) | 42.5 (36-67) | 15 (9.3 – 41) | <0.001b |
| Hemoglobin concentration (g/dL) (n = 921) |
Median (IQR) | 9.3 (7.4-11.2) | 11 (9.6-12.1) | 12.1 (10 – 13.1) | 13.1 (11.4-14.8) | 12.2 (11.5 – 14) | 7.8 (7.8-9.5) | 11.1 (9.1 – 12.6) | <0.001b |
| Anatomic sites affected (n = 1383) |
Nose | 15 (2.6) | 3 (0.9) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 (1.3) | 0.012a |
| Right cheek | 272 (47.8) | 187 (55.2) | 100 (60.6) | 154 (68.4) | 46 (63.9) | 9 (69.2) | 768 (55.5) | 0.012a | |
| Left cheek | 283 (49.7) | 167 (49.3) | 89 (53.9) | 106 (47.1) | 34 (47.2) | 4 (30.8) | 683 (49.4) | 0.578a | |
| Upper lip | 17 (3.0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 (1.2) | <0.001a | |
| Lower lip | 21 (3.7) | 4 (1.2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 (1.8) | <0.001a | |
| Eye | 7 (1.2) | 3 (0.9) | 2 (1.2) | 5 (2.2) | 1 (1.4) | 0 | 18 (1.3) | 0.828a | |
aPearson’s Chi-square test/Fisher’s exact test;
bKruskal-Wallis test.