Table 1

Baseline and end of study characteristics of the study population


Baseline
End of study



Placebo (n = 74)
Supplemented (n = 74)
p-value
Placebo (n = 74)
Supplemented (n = 74)
p-value

Age (months)
35.2 ± 20
37.9 ± 20
0.72
-
-
-
Sex





-
Female
45.9%
48.6%
0.74
-
-
-
Antecedent






Reported children with fever episode on the previous year
78.30 (69–87.6)
89.20 (82.1–96.3)
0.041
-
-
-
Reported children with mosquito-net use on the previous night
52.7 (41.4–64.0)
56.7 (45.4–68.0)
0.62
-
-
-
Anthropometry






Weight-for-height Z- score <-2.0
-0.73 ± 2.8
-0.82 ± 1.4
0.58
-1.10 ± 2
-1.03 ± 1.3
0.80
Height-for-age Z- score <-2.0
-1.60 ± 2.3
-1.50 ± 2.0
0.77
-1.5 ± 2.4
-1.49 ± 1.7
0.97
Weight-for-height Z- score <-2.0 (%)
20.3 (11.2–29.4)
13.5 (5.7–21.3)
0.20
27.0 (17.0–37.0)
23.0 (13.5–32.5)
0.56
Height-for-age Z- score <-2.0 (%)
47.3 (36.0–58.6)
40.5 (29.3–51.7)
0.40
46.0 (34.7–57.3)
35.0 (24.2–45.8)
0.20
Hematology






Mean (SD) hemoglobin (g/dl)
9.4 ± 1.6
9.31 ± 2.3
0.75
10.21 ± 1.82
10.09 ± 1.97
0.70
Anemia ≤ 7.0 g/dl(%)
5.4 (0.4–10.5)
18.0 (9.3–26.7)
0.020
5.4 (0.4–10.5)
5.4 (0.4–10.5)
0.71
Malariometric indices






Positive P. falciparum
61.0 (51–72)
76.0 (66.-85)
0.052
57.5% (46.2–68.8)
42.0% (32.8–55.2)
0.048
Geometric mean density P. falciparum positive asexual forms/μl
1444 (923–2259)
1589 (1026–2459)
0.38
1945 (1155–3275)
1011 (647–1579)
0.85
Enlarged spleen
61.0% (51–72)
58.0% (47–69)
0.73
57.0% (46–68)
53.0% (42–64)
0.62

Mean ± SD or % (CI 95%)

p < 0.05

Zeba et al. Nutrition Journal 2008 7:7   doi:10.1186/1475-2891-7-7