Table 2.

Comparative characteristics of the included and excluded participants at 6 months of age

Characteristics	Included (432)	Excluded (349)	P valuea
Parasitaemia by microscopy	22 (5.1)	6 (1.7)	0.01
Parasitaemia by RDTb	31 (7.17)	35 (10.0)	0.15
Haemoglobin level, mean ± SD, g/l	103.4 ± 15.8	101.4 ± 15.9	0.09
Anaemiac	251 (58.1)	250 (71.7)	< 0.0001
Low socioeconomic status	251 (58.1)	215 (61.6)	0.32
Mother’s education below median	225 (52.1)	193 (55.3)	0.37

Values are number (%) or mean ± SD

^aP value obtained by Chi square test or Mann–Whitney test (continuous variables)

^bRapid diagnostic test

^cAnaemia defined as haemoglobin level < 110 g/l (World Health Organization [1])