Compared to children with sTfR < 8.3 mg/L, children with elevated sTfR were younger and more likely to be male and have malaria, inflammation (elevated CRP and/or AGP), iron deficiency (defined either as inflammation-adjusted ferritin < 12 μg/L or BIS < 0 mg/kg), and the HbSS genotype (Table 4). Here, CRP is linked to nutritional disorder.