Table 1. Average FOBT Hb content observed in studied subjects according to patient characteristics and colonoscopy outcome.
| Variable | Category | Average FOBT Hb content (ng m−l) | s.d. | Total cases | P-value (t test/ANOVA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | 466.0 | 494.6 | 1488 | 0.003 |
| Female | 438.8 | 631.7 | 1109 | ||
| Age (years) | 48–54 | 404.2 | 587.9 | 463 | 0.02 |
| 55–59 | 473.3 | 546.8 | 525 | ||
| 60–64 | 497.3 | 644.9 | 681 | ||
| 65–69 | 438.2 | 476.0 | 730 | ||
| 70–76 | 433.4 | 445.9 | 198 | ||
| Diagnostic assessment outcome (most severe lesion) | |||||
| Cancer | — | 817.0 | 645.2 | 191 | 0.000 |
| Adenoma | Any | 509.2 | 528.6 | 890 | |
| Benign, other | — | 407.5 | 610.7 | 985 | |
| Negative | — | 319.0 | 369.1 | 531 | |
| Haemorroids | Present | 439.6 | 695.8 | 742 | 0.002 |
| Absent | 460.3 | 491.3 | 1855 | ||
| Diverticula | Present | 475.6 | 628.4 | 598 | 0.688 |
| Absent | 448.0 | 534.2 | 1999 | ||
ANOVA=analysis of variance; FOBT=faecal occult blood testing; Hb=haemoglobin.