Table 3.
Mean ± SEM age and concentration of micronutrients, hemoglobin, and inflammation biomarkers among children 6–23 and 24–59 months (n = 676–741 children) by province 1.
| 6–23 Months (n = 286) | 24–59 Months (n = 458) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Kivu | Kongo Central | P | South Kivu | Kongo Central | p | |
| Total, n (%) | 158 (55.2) | 128 (44.8) | NA | 286 (62.4) | 172 (37.6) | NA |
| Age, month | 14.2 ± 0.4 | 14.9 ± 0.4 | 0.2 | 37.3 ± 0.5 | 38.0 ± 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Micronutrients | ||||||
| Vitamin B12, pmol/L | 370 ± 15 | 443 ± 18 | 0.002 | 487 ± 14 | 630 ± 22 | <0.00001 |
| RBP (unadjusted), µmol/L | 1.10 ± 0.03 | 0.93 ± 0.03 | 0.0001 | 1.08 ± 0.02 | 0.92 ± 0.02 | <0.00001 |
| RBP (adjusted) 2, µmol/L | 1.20 ± 0.03 | 1.05 ± 0.03 | 0.0008 | 1.16 ± 0.02 | 1.04 ± 0.02 | 0.0003 |
| Zinc (unadjusted), µmol/L | 9.5 ± 0.2 | 9.6 ± 0.2 | 0.7 | 9.5 ± 0.1 | 9.2 ± 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Zinc (adjusted) 3, µmol/L | 10.1 ± 0.2 | 10.3 ± 0.2 | 0.5 | 10.0 ± 0.1 | 9.9 ± 0.2 | 0.8 |
| Folate, nmol/L | 41 ± 1 | 27 ± 1 | <0.00001 | 43 ± 1 | 29 ± 1 | <0.00001 |
| Ferritin (unadjusted), µg/L | 43 ± 4 | 86 ± 8.3 | <0.00001 | 71 ± 3 | 126 ± 6 | <0.00001 |
| Ferritin (adjusted) 2, µg/L | 32 ± 3 | 55 ± 5 | <0.00001 | 55 ± 2 | 84 ± 4 | <0.00001 |
| sTfR, mg/L | 10.5 ± 0.5 | 12.7 ± 0.6 | 0.003 | 7.8 ± 0.2 | 10.3 ± 0.4 | <0.00001 |
| Hb, g/L | ||||||
| Unadjusted Hb | 111 ± 1 | 113 ± 2 | 0.4 | 118 ± 1 | 113 ± 1 | 0.0005 |
| Hb adjusted for altitude | 107 ± 1 | 112 ± 2 | 0.003 | 113 ± 1 | 112 ± 1 | 0.6 |
| Hb adjusted for ethnicity | 121 ± 1 | 123 ± 2 | 0.4 | 128 ± 1 | 123 ± 1 | 0.0005 |
| Hb adjusted for altitude and ethnicity | 117 ± 1 | 123 ± 2 | 0.003 | 123 ± 1 | 122 ± 1 | 0.6 |
| Inflammation Biomarkers | ||||||
| Acute, CRP, mg/L | 4.98 ± 0.83 | 9.46 ± 1.27 | 0.003 | 3.81 ± 0.51 | 10.67 ± 1.12 | <0.00001 |
| Chronic, AGP, g/L | 1.46 ± 0.07 | 1.68 ± 0.08 | 0.05 | 1.51 ± 0.05 | 1.75 ± 0.07 | 0.008 |
1 AGP, α-1 acid glycoprotein; CRP, C-reactive protein; Hb, hemoglobin; NA, not applicable; RBP, retinol binding protein (vitamin A status); SEM, standard error of the mean; sTfR, soluble transferrin receptor. Mean concentrations between provinces for each separate age group (6–23 or 24–59) were compared using t-tests; 2 Values were adjusted for inflammation using correction factors proposed by Thurnham et al. [24,25]; 3 Values were adjusted for inflammation using study-generated correction factors.