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. 2021 Apr 20;151(7):2029–2042. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxab066

TABLE 3.

MNP compared with placebo mean differences on measures of hemoglobin, biomarkers of micronutrient status, and CRP in preschoolers from baseline to endline1

MNP vs. placebo2 Time effect (P values) Endline × MNP
n MNP Placebo P 4 Effect size (95% CI)5
Hemoglobin, g/dL BL 316 10.9 ± 0.1 10.9 ± 0.1 0.85
EL 289 12.1 ± 0.1 11.2 ± 0.1 <0.0001 <0.0001
∆3 1.2 ± 0.1**** 0.3 ± 0.1** <0.0001 0.6 (0.4, 0.8)
Ferritin, μg/L BL 314 19.5 ± 1.3 15.8 ± 1.4 0.06
EL 288 24.6 ± 1.4 14.3 ± 1.5 <0.0001 0.0004
∆ 5.1 ± 1.3*** –1.5 ± 1.3 0.0004 0.3 (0.1, 0.6)
sTfR, mg/L BL 299 3.3 ± 0.1 3.4 ± 0.1 0.38
EL 287 2.3 ± 0.1 3.3 ± 0.1 <0.0001 <0.0001
∆ –1.0 ± 0.1**** –0.1 ± 0.1* <0.0001 0.6 (0.4, 0.7)
sTfR/log ferritin index, mg/μg BL 299 3.4 ± 0.2 3.5 ± 0.2 0.66
EL 287 1.8 ± 0.2 3.3 ± 0.2 <0.0001 <0.0001
∆ –1.6 ± 0.1**** –0.2 ± 0.1 <0.0001 0.7 (0.5, 0.9)
Folate, nmol/L BL 314 5.4 ± 0.2 5.1 ± 0.2 0.19
EL 287 7.0 ± 0.2 6.1 ± 0.2 0.002 0.09
∆ 1.6 ± 0.2**** 1.0 ± 0.2**** 0.09 0.3 (0.0, 0.5)
Vitamin B-12, pmol/L BL 314 448.6 ± 18.8 411.1 ± 19.8 0.17
EL 287 492.6 ± 19.8 443.1 ± 20.3 0.08 0.72
∆ 44.0 ± 22.9 32.0 ± 23.6 0.72 0.0 (–0.4, 0.2)
Zinc, μmol/L BL 307 14.3 ± 0.6 13.4 ± 0.7 0.35
EL 289 14.3 ± 0.6 13.9 ± 0.7 0.68 0.35
∆ 0.0 ± 0.3 0.5 ± 0.4 0.35 –0.1 (–0.4, 0.2)
CRP, mg/L BL 303 1.9 ± 0.2 1.8 ± 0.2 0.83
EL 287 1.2 ± 0.2 1.1 ± 0.2 0.88  0.96
∆ –0.7 ± 0.3* –0.7 ± 0.3* 0.96 0.0 (–0.3, 0.3)
1

Values are means ± SEs unless otherwise indicated. Linear mixed-effects regression models with random preschool and subject intercepts fitted for each outcome. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001. BL, baseline; CRP, C-reactive protein; EL, endline; MNP, multiple micronutrient powder; sTfR, soluble transferrin receptor.

2

No evidence of differing MNP compared with placebo effects on biochemical values by preschool quality; pooled analysis results presented.

3

Within-intervention group change from baseline.

4

P value for MNP compared with placebo difference in baseline mean, endline mean, and change from baseline.

5

Cohen's d for the difference in change scores from baseline to endline comparing MNP with placebo. Conventions: small = 0.2, medium = 0.5, large = 0.8 (38).