Table 1.
General characteristics of the Ghanaian study population (age ≥ 50 years)
| Individuals n |
924 |
|
| Age median (iqr) years |
66 |
(56–73) |
| Age groups n (%) |
|
|
| 50–59 years |
307 |
(33.2) |
| 60–69 years |
291 |
(31.5) |
| 70–79 years |
242 |
(26.2) |
| 80+ years |
84 |
(9.1) |
| Male sex n (%) |
480 |
(51.9) |
| Lifetime fertility median (iqr) children per woman |
7 |
(6–9) |
| Households n |
636 |
|
| Household property value median (iqr) US$ |
1,077 |
(533–1,942) |
| Waist circumference median (iqr) cm |
76 |
(72–81) |
| Body mass index median (iqr) kg/m
2
|
18.1 |
(16.5–19.5) |
| Capillary glucose median (iqr) mmol/l |
3.9 |
(3.4–4.4) |
| Blood pressure median (iqr) mmHg |
|
|
| diastolic |
70 |
(65–80) |
| systolic |
120 |
(110–135) |
| Hypertension |
24.2 |
% |
| Myocardial infarctiona |
1.2 |
% |
| Individuals with infectious diseasesb |
|
|
| Malaria species |
77.7 |
% |
| Protozoa |
100.0 |
% |
| Helminths |
21.5 |
% |
| Proinflammatory markersc |
|
|
| Interleukin-6 median (iqr) ng/l |
1.9 |
(1.4–2.7) |
| C-reactive protein median (iqr) mg/l | 1.0 | (0.4–2.7) |
Lifetime fertility is expressed as the total number of children born per woman. Hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher and/or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or higher. Myocardial infarction represents electrocardiographically detected definite myocardial infarction. Circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL6) have been measured in venous plasma samples. Iqr: interquartile range.
aDetermined in a subpopulation of 610 individuals.
bDetermined in 261 individuals for whom blood and stool samples were available.
cDetermined in 266 individuals for whom plasma samples were available.