Developmental profile in children with iron deficiency anemia and its changes after therapeutic iron supplementation

Objective  

To evaluate the developmental profile of children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and the changes following iron supplementation.     

Cerebral sinovenous thrombosis in a toddler with iron deficiency anemia

Cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) is an increasingly recognized cause of neurological morbidity and mortality within the pediatric population. Unlike its manifestation in the adult population, CSVT in children has a broad and often multifactorial cause. Our case describes an 18-month-old young boy presenting to the emergency department twice during a 48-hour period with vomiting and lethargy. The child was found to have a sagittal sinus venous thrombosis caused by severe dietary iron deficiency anemia. Severe iron deficiency anemia has been linked to CSVT formation in several recent case reports.     

Paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in children with iron deficiency anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency anemia

Paraoxonase-1 is an esterase enzyme and it has 3 types of activity, namely paraoxonase, arylesterase, and diazoxonase. It has been reported that paraoxonase-1 deficiency is related to increased susceptibility to development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in children with iron deficiency anemia and vitamin B(12) deficiency anemia. Thirty children with iron deficiency anemia, 30 children with vitamin B(12) deficiency anemia, and 40 healthy children aged 6 months to 6 years were enrolled in this study. Serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities were measured with a spectrophotometer by using commercially available kits. Mean paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in vitamin B(12) deficiency anemia group (103 ± 73 and 102 ± 41 U/L, respectively) were significantly lower than mean activities of control group (188 ± 100 and 147 ± 34 U/L, respectively; P < .001 for both) and iron deficiency anemia group (165 ± 103 and 138 ± 39 U/L, respectively; P < .05, P < .001), whereas there were no significant differences between iron deficiency anemia and control groups (P > .05). Paraoxonase and arylesterase activities significantly increased after treatment with vitamin B(12) in vitamin B(12) deficiency anemia; however, there were no significant changes in the activities of these enzymes after iron treatment in iron deficiency anemia group. Important correlations were found between vitamin B(12) levels and both paraoxonase and arylesterase activities (r = .367, P < .001; r = .445, P < .001). Our results suggest that vitamin B(12) deficiency anemia causes important reductions in paraoxonase and arylesterase activities, and after vitamin B(12) therapy the activities of these enzymes returned to near-normal levels.     

Controlling iron deficiency anemia through the use of home-fortified complementary foods

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is more common in South Asian countries including India, Bangladesh and Pakistan than anywhere else in the world. During infancy and early childhood, IDA is associated with impaired psycho-motor development and cognitive function that may be irreversible. As a consequence, there is a growing awareness that IDA is one of many factors impeding socio-economic prosperity of developing nations. The combination of unacceptably high prevalence rates and inadequate preventative programs highlights the need for new effective sustainable strategies to control IDA. The burden of iron deficiency can be reduced by taking a more holistic approach that would include promotion of healthy weaning practices and use of appropriate complementary foods, together with improving the nutritional value of such foods. There is an increasing body of peer-reviewed literature to support the contention that “micronutrient Sprinkles” is an effective strategy to improve the nutritional value of home-prepared complementary foods and thus to reduce the burden of iron deficiency among children. By combining data from recently conducted randomised control trials, Sprinkles were shown to be as efficacious as iron drops for treating childhood anemia. The iron in Sprinkles is well absorbed, and Sprinkles are easy to use and well accepted by young children and their caregivers. Integrated into existing public health programs, Sprinkles has the potential to improve the effectiveness of such programs.     

How I approach iron deficiency with and without anemia

Iron deficiency anemia remains a common referral to the pediatric hematology–oncology subspecialist. Improved understanding of iron homeostasis, including the effects of the regulatory hormone hepcidin, recent adult and pediatric clinical trial data, as well as the availability of safer formulations of intravenous iron, have resulted in additional considerations when making treatment recommendations in such patients. Young children and adolescent females remain the most commonly affected groups, but children with complex medical or chronic inflammatory conditions including comorbid gastrointestinal disorders also require special consideration.     

Reversal of iron deficiency anemia-induced peripheral neuropathy by iron treatment in children with iron deficiency anemia

The effects of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) on nerve conduction and efficiency of iron therapy were investigated by peripheral nerve-electrophysiological measurements. Eighteen children (10 boys, eight girls; mean age 31 +/- 1.3 months) with IDA and 12 healthy children (six boys, six girls; mean age 29 +/- 1.3 months) were enrolled into the study. Nerve conduction velocity was measured in the median and posterior tibial nerve. After nerve conduction values were determined in the patients and controls, 6 mg/kg/24 h ferrous sulphate was given orally to the patients for 3 months and nerve conduction velocity tests were performed again. Median/motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity and tibial/motor nerve distal-amplitute values of children with IDA were lower than for the control group (p < 0.05, p < 0.01 and p < 0.001 respectively). With iron supplementation these values increased to the normal levels and even higher than control levels for some parameters. In correlation studies between whole blood parameters and nerve conduction velocity results, there was a correlation between median/sensory nerve conduction velocity values and serum iron levels. Additionally there was a correlation between some nerve conduction velocity values and age. In conclusion, the evidence from this preliminary study suggests that peripheral neuropathy may develop in children with IDA. Peripheral neuropathy symptoms in these patients may be improved by iron therapy.     

Neutrophil hypersegmentation in children with iron deficiency anemia

Neutrophil hypersegmentation (NH) is usually associated with vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency. NH is seen in iron deficiency anemia but there are very few case studies about this. Neutrophil hypersegmentation was evaluated in 94 children with iron deficiency anemia; 23 healthy children comprised the control group with similar ages. NH was found in 76/94 (81%) in the study group and 2/23 (9%) of the control group. The difference was statistically significant (p < .01).     

Leukocyte DNA damage in children with iron deficiency anemia: effect of iron supplementation

Iron deficiency is frequently associated with anemia. Iron is a transition-metal ion, and it can induce free radical formation, which leads to formation of various lesions in DNA, proteins, and lipids. The aim of this study was to investigate baseline oxidative DNA damage and to clarify the role of the administration of a therapeutic dose of iron on DNA oxidation in children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Twenty-seven children with IDA and 20 healthy children were enrolled in the study. Leukocyte DNA damage (strand breaks and Fpg-sensitive sites) was assessed using comet assay before and after 12 weeks of daily iron administration. Before the iron administration, the frequency of DNA strand breaks in the children with IDA was found to be lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05), but there was not a significant difference for frequency of Fpg-sensitive sites. After 12 weeks of iron administration, the frequency of both DNA strand breaks and Fpg-sensitive sites were found to be increased (P < 0.01). No significant association was determined between DNA damage parameters and hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum iron, total iron binding capacity, and ferritin. In conclusion, basal level of DNA strand breaks is at a low level in children with IDA. After iron administration, DNA strand breaks and Fpg-sensitive sites, which represent oxidatively damaged DNA, increased. However, this increase was unrelated to serum level of iron and ferritin.     

Severe iron deficiency anemia in a child with idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis: a case report

We report a case of idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH) in a three-year-old male patient who presented with severe iron deficiency anemia. The child had been diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia nine months earlier and had received multiple blood transfusions, but the cause of his anemia had not been established. The diagnosis of IPH was made after a biopsy of the left lung showed large numbers of hemosiderin-filled macrophages in the alveoli. He did not respond to standard dose corticosteroid (CS) treatment (2 mg/kg/d). However, high-dose short-term CS treatment was successful in two episodes of acute respiratory hemorrhage in this patient. We conclude that IPH should always be considered when investigating the cause of iron deficiency anemia. A more rapid diagnosis in this case could have prevented unnecessary investigations and blood transfusions. We also suggest that high-dose short-term CS treatment should be kept in mind, especially in patients who do not respond to a standard dose.     

Neutrophil hypersegmentation and thrombocytosis in children with iron deficiency anemia

Neutrophil hypersegmentation is an expected peripheral blood smear finding in megaloblastic anemias. But some clinical reports suggest that neutrophil hypersegmentation may also occur in patients with iron deficiency anemia. In this study we searched the presence of neutrophil hypersegmentation and thrombocytosis in patients with iron deficiency anemia but who had normal serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels. The study comprised 102 patients with iron deficiency anemia and 21 age-matched healthy controls. All routine tests for iron deficiency anemia were done, serum folate and cobalamin levels were measured, and platelets were counted in all patients and controls. Peripheral blood smears were examined for neutrophil hypersegmentation. Hypersegmentation was found in 30.4% of anemic patients and in 9.5% of controls (p < 0.05). The number of platelets was also significantly higher in anemic children (p < 0.05). These results show that neutrophil hypersegmentation may also be seen in patients with iron deficiency anemia, and thrombocytosis is a common laboratory finding in this disorder.     

婴幼儿缺铁性贫血原因分析

目的　探讨城区婴幼儿缺铁性贫血 (IDA)原因。方法　对散居 6 77例 3个月～ 3岁婴幼儿进行IDA诊断及个体因素调查 ,并建立数据库 ,对不同年龄组IDA发病率、个体因素与发病关系进行统计分析。结果　发病主要集中在 3个月～ 1岁年龄组 ;腹泻、呼吸道感染、母乳喂养、添加辅食情况、体格发育是IDA的相关因素 ,其中母乳喂养是 3～ 4个月组主要病因 ,添加辅食和腹泻、呼吸道感染是 5～ 12个月组主要病因 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论　 3个月～ 1岁组防治是婴幼儿贫血防治的重要环节和关键 ,改善发病因素是主要的防治措施     

儿童铁缺乏症及缺铁性贫血防治进展

铁是人体必需微量元素中含量最多的一种,膳食中可利用铁长期不足,常可导致铁缺乏(iron deficiency)和缺铁性贫血(iron deficiency anemia,IDA)[1].小儿IDA是机体对铁的摄入不足,需要量增加或铁丢失过多造成机体内贮存铁缺乏,导致血红蛋白合成障碍引起的一种贫血[1].     

儿童缺铁和缺铁性贫血防治建议

一、前言 铁缺乏症(iron deficiency,ID)是最常见的营养素缺乏症和全球性健康问题,据估计世界1/3人口缺铁.由于健康教育和广泛采用铁强化食品等措施,目前欧美发达国家儿童缺铁性贫血(iron deficiency anemia,IDA)患病率已显著降低[1].