Iron status in low-birth-weight infants, small and appropriate for gestational age. A follow-up study.
Iron nutrition was measured in 84 low-birth-weight infants. At birth, they were assigned to three groups: preterm infants appropriate for gestational age (n = 29); preterm infants small for gestational age (n = 17); and full-term infants small for gestational age (n = 38). A sub-sample of infants was supplemented with iron 3 mg/kg from two to four months of age. At birth, preterm appropriate-for-gestational-age infants had a lower hemoglobin concentration than full-term small-for-gestational-age infants (p < 0.01) and a higher serum ferritin than preterm small-for-gestational-age infants (p < 0.05). In the non-supplemented group, full-term small-for-gestational-age infants had significantly higher hemoglobin concentrations at four months of age. At this age, iron-supplemented preterm infants appropriate or small for gestational age had significantly higher hemoglobin levels than non-supplemented subjects, while iron supplementation did not have an effect on final hemoglobin concentration in full-term small-for-gestational-age infants. We conclude that preterm infants, irrespective of their adequacy for gestational age, show evidence of iron deficiency before four months of age. Full-term infants do not develop iron deficiency up to this age.
Olivares
M
M
Hematology Unit, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Santiago.
Llaguno
S
S
Marin
V
V
Hertrampf
E
E
Mena
P
P
Milad
M
M
D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000097:blood*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000097:blood*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009752:Nutritional Status
D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins