Table 4 The longitudinal association of Shannon diversity index at 6 or 12 mo with infant growth from 6 to 18 mo of age.

From: The association of gut microbiota characteristics in Malawian infants with growth and inflammation

Outcome (n)

Microbiota diversity (Shannon index)

Unadjusted

Adjusted

β of Shannon index in model without interaction

p-value

β of Shannon index in model without interaction

p-value

Interaction, age-interval * Shannon index

β of Shannon index

Interaction, age-interval * Shannon index

β of Shannon index

LAZ (1058)

−0.02 (−0.08, 0.04)

0.365

0.539

−0.03 (−0.09, 0.04)

0.485

0.397

HCZ (1052)

−0.01 (−0.06, 0.05)

0.158

0.838

−0.01 (−0.06, 0.05)

0.338

0.847

WLZ (1059)

 

0.025

 

0.03 (−0.04, 0.10)

0.054

0.436

WAZ (1057)

 

0.006

  

0.037

 
  1. The relationship between microbiota diversity (Shannon index) and growth (LAZ, length-for-age z score; HCZ, head-circumference z score; and WLZ, weight-for-length z score) was tested for significance in multivariate models while controlling for other factors, including nutrition intervention group. The β of Shannon index in the model without the interaction term was derived from a model including terms for the age interval and Shannon index, but no interaction of age-interval and Shannon index. The term ‘Age-interval *H’ tested the significance of the interaction between age interval and microbiota diversity in a longitudinal model. The repeated measures models included two age intervals based on child’s age; in the first age interval, the response variable was change in z-score between 6 and 12 mo and the predictor was Shannon index at 6 mo, and in the second age interval, the response was change in z-score between 12 and 18 mo and the predictor was Shannon index measured at 12 mo. The p-values were obtained from repeated measures ANCOVA. The models were adjusted for the following pre-specified covariates: intervention group; child age on day of stool collection; maternal age, height, body mass index, parity, education, HIV status, and hemoglobin at enrollment; household assets, food security, source of drinking water (tap water vs any other source), residential location and access to sanitary facility (water closet or ventilation improved pit latrine vs. none or regular pit latrine); season at time of stool sample collection; mode of delivery (vaginal or cesarean); site of delivery; and child sex.
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