ESPE Abstracts

Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) causes detrimental effects on physical growth which is attributed to poor appetite, altered endocrinologic profile and neurotransmitter metabolism consequent to iron deficiency.

Objective and hypotheses: To investigate the iron status of preschool children with IDA and its association with the degree of growth retardation at presentation, and to detect the effect of iron supplementation on growth velocity (GV) over a period of one year.

Method: a prospective pilot study conducted in Diabetes Endocrine Metabolism Pediatric Unit in collaboration with the Pediatric Haematology clinic at Children’s Hospital, Cairo University included baseline and follow up anthropometric and hematological parameters of 40 IDA patients compared to 40 healthy clinically non-anemic, age and sex-matched controls. A daily total dose of 6 mg/kg/day of ferrous sulfate (20% elemental iron by weight) in 2–3 divided doses were given between meals to patients with IDA.

Results: At presentation, patients with IDA had low hemoglobin, hematocrits, serum iron, serum ferritin, height standard deviation score (SDS), weight SDS, and BMI SDS which improved significantly after treatment. The GV of IDA patients correlated significantly with serum ferritin concentration and also their BMI SDS correlated significantly with the serum ferritin concentration.

Conclusion: The GV and other anthropometric parameters of preschool children with IDA had markedly improved by oral iron therapy and correction of anemia.