C Wilson1, C C Grant, C R Wall. 1. Division of General Paediatrics, Starship Children's Hospital, Auckland.
Abstract
AIMS: To determine the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in children hospitalised with acute illness and the frequency of adverse dietary habits in the children with iron deficiency anaemia. METHODS: This was a prospective study of all children, aged 9 to 23 months resident in metropolitan Auckland who were hospitalised at Starship Children's Hospital, from July to October 1997, with an acute medical illness and had a full blood count performed. Iron deficiency anaemia was defined as haemoglobin <110 g/L, red cell distribution width >14.5% and either serum ferritin <10 microg/L or transferrin saturation <10%. Ethnicity and dietary habits of the children were determined by interviewing parents. RESULTS: During the study period 284 children, aged 9 to 23 months were admitted, of whom 206 (73%) had a full blood count performed. Sixty (29%) of these 206 children had iron deficiency anaemia. A larger proportion of Pacific Islands (P) compared to Maori (M) or European children (E) had iron deficiency anaemia. (P vs M:43% vs 21%, p=0.01; P vs E:43% vs 14%, p<0.001; M vs E 21% vs 14%, P=0.27). Sixty-nine percent of the children with iron deficiency anaemia had a dietary factor (early introduction of cows milk, late introduction of meat or regular consumption of tea) likely to have contributed to their iron deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Iron deficiency is prevalent in Auckland children aged 9 to 23 months, hospitalised with an acute illness. The prevalence varies with ethnicity. Adverse dietary habits are present in 69% of the children with iron deficiency anaemia.
AIMS: To determine the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in children hospitalised with acute illness and the frequency of adverse dietary habits in the children with iron deficiency anaemia. METHODS: This was a prospective study of all children, aged 9 to 23 months resident in metropolitan Auckland who were hospitalised at Starship Children's Hospital, from July to October 1997, with an acute medical illness and had a full blood count performed. Iron deficiency anaemia was defined as haemoglobin <110 g/L, red cell distribution width >14.5% and either serum ferritin <10 microg/L or transferrin saturation <10%. Ethnicity and dietary habits of the children were determined by interviewing parents. RESULTS: During the study period 284 children, aged 9 to 23 months were admitted, of whom 206 (73%) had a full blood count performed. Sixty (29%) of these 206 children had iron deficiency anaemia. A larger proportion of Pacific Islands (P) compared to Maori (M) or European children (E) had iron deficiency anaemia. (P vs M:43% vs 21%, p=0.01; P vs E:43% vs 14%, p<0.001; M vs E 21% vs 14%, P=0.27). Sixty-nine percent of the children with iron deficiency anaemia had a dietary factor (early introduction of cows milk, late introduction of meat or regular consumption of tea) likely to have contributed to their iron deficiency. CONCLUSIONS:Iron deficiency is prevalent in Auckland children aged 9 to 23 months, hospitalised with an acute illness. The prevalence varies with ethnicity. Adverse dietary habits are present in 69% of the children with iron deficiency anaemia.