Table 1 Clinical and biological profile of the study population

Age, years

9(6–13.3)

10(7–14)

9(5–12)

0.789

Transfusions > 3/year

35(50)

23(59)

12(39)

0.189

1–3/year

26(37)

13(33)

13(42)

0/year

9(13)

3(8)

6(19)

WBC/mm³

11.618 ± 4.621

11.339 ± 4.114

12.011 ± 5.311

0.568

Platelets × 10³ /mm³

380.727 ± 154.522

364.359 ± 132.846

401.884 ± 184.553

0.344

Reticulocytes, %

12.0 (8.5–17.6)

11.0 (8.5–18.0)

13.0 (8.0–17.8)

0.799

CRP, mg/l

3.43 (2.01–5.07)

3.44 (2.52–5.99)

3.36 (1.88–5.01)

0.891

Total Bilirubin, mg/dl

Indirect Bilirubin, mg/dl

1.9 (1.5–3.5)

1.9 (0.9–3.5)

2.5 (1.6–4.2)

1.9 (1.0–3.6)

1.9 (1.5–3.5)

1.3 (0.9–3.2)

0.841

0.823

Direct Bilirubin, mg/dl

0.5 (0.4–0.7)

0.6 (0.4–0.7)

0.5 (0.4–0.7)

0.680

LDH, UI/l

544(400–771)

550(424–795)

516(375–686)

1.000

Serum iron, μmol/l

16.2 (13.2–19.2)

16.2 (13.6–19.0)

16.3 (11.7–20.3)

0.941

Serum ferritin, ng/ml

209(106–453)

184(97–440)

213(106–519)

0.891

Free plasma Hb, mg/l

168(116–267)

168(110–282)

160(120–244)

0.950