2.8. Data Analyses
±, acute illness
REGRESSION
Population characteristics were reported as proportion, means ± standard deviation (SD), or median with Inter Quartile Range (IQR) (25th- and 75th-percentiles) as appropriate, with corresponding group size. Right-skewed outcomes were log-transformed prior to analysis and estimates were back-transformed. The baseline characteristics of children included in the B12 sub-study were compared to those who were not included.Among children included in the B12 sub-study, the proportion of deficiencies at admission and discharge were calculated according to 3cB12 thresholds presented above. T-tests were used to investigate the effect of the intervention on mean biomarker concentrations by comparing the change from admission to discharge for all children combined, and presented as mean difference with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Study site (health center) and research team were treated as a random effect, and we adjusted for age and sex at admission. False discharge children were not included in the analysis.Linear mixed-effects modelling was used to investigate the effect of the intervention on mean biomarker concentrations, comparing the change from admission to discharge, according to RUFT group (standard vs. reduced dose) with adjustment for age, sex, and outcome measure at admission, and including study site and research team as random factors. Only samples from recovered children were used to estimate the effect of the RUTF dosage on B12 status.Factors (age, gender, breastfeeding status, duration of treatment, acute illness, biochemical profile) potentially associated with B12 status (defined by 3cB12) in children with SAM at admission and discharge were explored using multivariate logistic mixed-effects regression [