Carvalho A. G. C., de Lira P. I. C., Barros M. D. A., Alessio M. L. M., Lima M. D., Carbonneau M. A., Berger Jacques, Leger C. L. (2010). Diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia in children of Northeast Brazil = Diagnóstico de anemia por defi ciência de ferro em crianças do Nordeste do Brasil. Revista de Saude Publica, 44 (3), p. 513-519. ISSN 0034-8910.
Titre du document
Diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia in children of Northeast Brazil = Diagnóstico de anemia por defi ciência de ferro em crianças do Nordeste do Brasil
Carvalho A. G. C., de Lira P. I. C., Barros M. D. A., Alessio M. L. M., Lima M. D., Carbonneau M. A., Berger Jacques, Leger C. L.
Source
Revista de Saude Publica, 2010,
44 (3), p. 513-519 ISSN 0034-8910
OBJECTIVE: To diagnose iron deficiency anemia in children. METHODS: The study was conducted with a sample of 301 children aged six to 30 months attending public daycare centers in the city of Recife, Northeast Brazil, in 2004. The diagnoses of anemia were based on a combination of different hematological and biochemical parameters: hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, ferritin, C-reactive protein, transferrin saturation and transferrin receptor. The chi-square test and ANOVA were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Of all children studied, 92.4% had anemia (Hb <110 g/L) and 28.9% had moderate/severe anemia (Hb <90 g/L). Lower levels of hemoglobin were found in children aged 6-17 months. Iron deficiency was found in 51.5% of children using ferritin (<12 mu g/L) as parameter. Taking into consideration the combination of hemoglobin level, ferritin and transferrin receptor, 58.1% had anemia with iron deficiency, 34.2% had anemia without iron deficiency and 2.3% had iron deficiency without anemia. Mean ferritin concentration was significantly higher in children with high C-reactive protein when compared with those with normal levels (22.1 vs. 14.8 mu g/L). CONCLUSIONS: The use of several biochemical and hematological parameters allowed to diagnosing iron deficiency anemia in two thirds of children, suggesting a need to identify other determinants of anemia without iron deficiency.
