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Table 1 Sample characteristics of 265 subjects with SCA, ages 1–12 years

From: Burden of neurological and neurocognitive impairment in pediatric sickle cell anemia in Uganda (BRAIN SAFE): a cross-sectional study

 

Total Mean ± SD

N = 265 (%)

Ages 1–4 years

Mean value ±SD

N = 113 (%)

Ages 5–12 years

Mean value ±SD

N = 152 (%)

Age (years)

5.5 ± 2.9

2.5 ± 1.1

7.5 ± 2.1

Sex (male), N (%)

139 (52.4)

61 (54.0)

77 (50.6)

Height (cm) (N = 252)

109.3 ± 18.0

92.0 ± 13.7

121.6 ± 11.9

Weight (kg) (N = 252)

18.1 ± 6.1

13.8 ± 9.6

22.7 ± 12.6

Malnutrition+ (N = 252), N (%)

37 (14.7)

10 (9.3)

27 (18.8)

 Severe malnutrition++, N (%)

12 (4.8)

3 (2.8)

9 (6.3)

 Malnutrition (z-score)

−0.82 ± 1.52

  

  Weight-for-height (z-score)

–

−0.49 ± 1.75

–

  BMI z-score

–

–

−1.06 ± 1.27

Hemoglobin# (g/dl) (N = 250)

7.3 ± 1.0

–

–

 Hb ≤7.5 g/dl (N = 158)

6.7 ± 0.5

6.6 ± 0.6

6.7 ± 0.5

 Hb > 7.5 g/dl (N = 92)

8.3 ± 0.7

8.4 ± 0.7

8.3 ± 0.8

  1. +Defined per World Health Organization standards, by age and sex, for children 1–4 years and ages 5–12 years, as z-score of ≤ − 2; ++z-score of ≤ − 3. (ref. 28)
  2. #Severe anemia is defined as Hb < 8.0 g/deciliter (National Cancer Institute CTCAE Version 5.0, 2017)
  3. Over half of the participants in the BRAIN SAFE cross-sectional sample were pre-school age. Participants were divided into two age groups to align with the neurocognitive testing batteries used for these two age ranges. Malnutrition (low weight-for-height) was highly prevalent, especially among those ages 5–12 years. Hemoglobin levels were low and did not vary by age