| Geographic location | Age | No. | Metabolic hormones | ||
| Growth hormone (ng/ml) | T3 (ng/ml) | T4 (ng/ml) | |||
| AL-Qurna | <1 year old | 12 | 11.72 ± 0.78 a | 1.44 ± 0.03 a | 1.16 ± 0.03 a |
| 1 - 3 years old | 12 | 8.71 ± 0.80 b | 1.14 ± 0.03 b | 1.13 ± 0.02 ab | |
| >3 years old | 12 | 8.83 ± 0.65 b | 1.03 ± 0.01 b | 1.01 ± 0.03 b | |
| Mean |
| 36 | 9.75 ± 0.54 A | 1.10 ± 0.02 | 1.10 ± 0.02 |
| Al-Midaina | <1 year old | 12 | 10.77 ± 0.64 a | 1.52 ± 0.01 a | 1.20 ± 0.01 a |
| 1 - 3 years old | 12 | 8.96 ± 0.43 bc | 1.01 ± 0.02 b | 1.02 ± 0.04 b | |
| >3 years old | 12 | 9.30 ± 0.87 b | 0.87 ± 0.02 b | 0.90 ± 0.01 c | |
| Mean |
| 36 | 9.67 ± 0.54 A | 1.14 ± 0.03 | 1.04 ± 0.04 |
| Al-Uazair | <1 year old | 12 | 9.77 ± 0.54 a | 1.94 ± 0.06 a | 1.00 ± 0.01 a |
| 1 - 3 years old | 12 | 7.01 ± 0.45 b | 1.51 ± 0.03 b | 0.91 ± 0.01 ab | |
| >3 years old | 12 | 8.01 ± 0.90 b | 0.92 ± 0.04 c | 0.86 ± 0.03 b | |
| Mean |
| 36 | 8.26 ± 0.93 B | 1.45 ± 0.07 | 0.93 ± 0.02 |
| P value |
|
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |