TABLE 3.
Micronutrient blood biomarker concentrations of women expecting to become pregnant in Asesewa, Ghana, by common health indicators measured in the study1
| Hemoglobin | BMI | Blood pressure | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≥12.0 g/dL | <12.0 g/dL | <25 kg/m2 | ≥25 kg/m2 | Normal | Elevated | |
| Biomarker | (n = 65) | (n = 33) | (n = 59) | (n = 39) | (n = 75) | (n = 23) |
| Serum | ||||||
| α1-acid glycoprotein,2 mg/dL | 51.9 [42.1, 78.9]* | 78.9 [51.9, 86.2]* | 51.9 [41.6, 68.5]* | 78.9 [51.9, 86.2]* | 51.9 [42.1, 81.0] | 64.0 [51.9, 95.6] |
| Iron, µg/dL | 81.2 (33.9) | 70.0 (54.9) | 81.2 (47.3) | 71.7 (32.6) | 78.1 (43.3) | 75.2 (39.0) |
| Adjusted ferritin,3 µg/L | 55.4 [41.0, 100.9] | 36.7 [16.1, 86.1] | 47.4 [31.5, 87.5] | 66.5 [24.5, 122.2] | 49.8 [31.5, 96.8] | 66.5 [19.1, 115.1] |
| TIBC, g/dL | 301.0 [261.0, 315.0]* | 329.0 [285.0, 383.0]* | 306.0 [278.0, 342.0] | 301.0 [261.0, 329.0] | 301.0 [264.0, 334.0] | 313.0 [285.0, 363.0] |
| Transferrin saturation, % | 28.0 (12.1)* | 20.4 (15.2)* | 26.3 (14.9) | 24.3 (11.5) | 25.8 (13.9) | 24.3 (12.9) |
| 25(OH)D,4 nmol/L | 65.3 (14.9) | 64.7 (12.9) | 65.0 (15.3) | 65.3 (12.5) | 64.4 (14.5) | 67.4 (13.0) |
| 25(OH)D C3 epimer, nmol/L | 2.9 (1.3) | 3.0 (1.4) | 2.9 (1.4) | 2.9 (1.4) | 2.8 (1.4) | 3.1 (1.4) |
| Total 25(OH)D, nmol/L | 68.2 (15.8) | 67.7 (13.6) | 67.8 (16.3) | 68.3 (13.1) | 67.2 (15.4) | 70.5 (13.7) |
| Plasma | ||||||
| Copper,5 µg/dL | 115.8 (25.2) | 112.6 (25.4) | 115.6 (24.9) | 113.4 (25.9) | 111.6 (23.8)* | 124.9 (27.4)* |
| Adjusted zinc,6 µg/dL | 84.2 (13.0) | 80.9 (15.6) | 81.1 (12.6) | 86.1 (15.3) | 83.6 (14.0) | 81.3 (13.8) |
| Adjusted retinol,7 µg/dL | 40.2 (15.3)* | 33.6 (10.8)* | 35.6 (11.5) | 41.7 (17.0) | 37.2 (12.4) | 40.6 (19.0) |
| Whole blood | ||||||
| Hemoglobin, g/dL | 13.0 (0.7)* | 10.9 (1.1)* | 12.1 (1.4) | 12.5 (1.1) | 12.2 (1.4) | 12.4 (0.9) |
1
Data are presented as arithmetic means (SDs) or medians [IQRs]; n = 98. *P < 0.05 for t test or Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test if distribution was normal or nonnormal, respectively. TIBC, total iron binding capacity; 25(OH)D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D.
2
Markers of inflammation; 11 α1-acid glycoprotein values >100 mg/L.
3
Adjustment using correction factors from Thurnham et al. (37).
4
Marker of vitamin D status.
5
n = 97 due to 1 missing value.
6
Adjustment using correction factors from Mburu et al. (38).
7
Marker of vitamin A status; adjustment using correction factors from Thurnham et al. (39).