Dental Caries in Children with Sickle Cell Disease and Its Association with the Use of Hydroxyurea and Penicillin Prophylaxis in Dar Es Salaam

Figures & data

Table 1 Percent Distribution of Study Participants in Different Categories of Hemoglobin Genotype by Sex and Age. Chi-Square Test and Independent t-test of the Mean

	Hemoglobin Genotype			p-value
	HbSS n=1197	HbAS, n=340	HbAA n=320
Sex:
Female	50.0	64.7	50.0	0.001**
Male	50.0	35.3	50.0
Mean Age (months) ±SD:	50.1±8.7	39.9±5.4	38.9±6.9	0.006*
Dental caries
No cavity	98.0	100	93.4	0.001**^#
Cavity Present	2.0	0.0	6.6

Notes: *p < 0.05, **p<0.001, ^#Fisher’s exact test.

Abbreviations: HbSS, Hemoglobin SS; HbAS, Hemoglobin AS; HbAA, Hemoglobin AA; n, number of teeth.

Table 2 Number of Decayed Teeth (Percent) of Children with Sickle Cell Disease (HbSS) According to Their Socio Demography, and the Use of Hydroxyurea and Penicillin Prophylaxis. Chi-Square Total N = 1197

Variable	N	Decayed Teeth. N (%)	p-value
Sex:
Female	598	4 (0.7)	0.001*
Male	599	20 (3.3)
Hydroxyurea use:
No	999	13 (1.3)	<0.001*
Yes	198	11 (5.6)
Penicillin Prophylaxis:
No	60	0 (0)	0.287
Yes	1137	24 (2.1)

Notes: Chi-Square test; *Fisher’s exact test, P < 0.05.

Abbreviation: N, Number of teeth.

Table 3 Univariate and Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis of Factors Associated with Decayed Teeth Among Children with SCD (HbSS)

Covariate	Univariable Models (N=1197)		Multivariable Model (N=1197)
	Crude Odds Ratio (cOR)	95% CI	Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR)	95% CI
Sex
Female	1.00	–	1.00	–
Male	5.13**	1.74–15.10	3.79**	1.24–11.60
Use of Hydroxyurea
No	1.00	–	1.00	–
Yes	4.46***	1.97–10.11	3.07**	1.32–7.17

Notes: **p<0.05; ***p<0.001.

Abbreviation: CI, Confidence Interval.