title: [Capillary hemoglobin as a predictor of the response to the oral intake of iron in children with iron deficiency].
abstract: A study was made to determine the prevalence of anemia in apparently healthy children of both sexes aged 6 to 24 months attending the preventive medicine service in a general hospital of the Mexican Social Security Institute in the city of Tapachula, State of Chiapas. One hundred children were studied with a capillary hemoglobin (Hb) determination: 91 had anemia (Hb less than or equal to 11 g/dL). Sixty eight of the anemic children received oral iron for 3 months (3 mg/kg/day): their Hb before and after iron therapy were compared. Considering as responders those with an increment in Hb greater than 1 g/dL, sixty four children (94%) showed a mean increment of 2.6 g/dL. Four were considered as non-responders: in 3 the iron supplementation was stopped due to infectious diseases; the fourth case had a Hb increment below 1 g/dL. The use of capillary Hb as a criterium for treating anemic children proved to be a good predictor of response in a population where the prevalence of iron deficiency is high.
authors.affiliation: Hospital General de Zona No. 1, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Tapachula, Chis.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ruiz López
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ayala Urbina
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cano Castellanos
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002196:Capillaries; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D007501:Iron
vernacular_title: La hemoglobina capilar como predictor de la respuesta al hierro oral en niños con deficiencia de hierro.