title: The effect of iron deficiency anemia on the function of the immune system.
abstract: We aimed to study the effect of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) on immunity. In 32 children with IDA and 29 normal children, the percentage of T-lymphocyte subgroups, the level of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6); and the phagocytic activity, the oxidative burst activity of neutrophils and monocytes and the levels of immunoglobulins were compared. There was no difference in the distribution of T-lymphocyte subgroups. The mean IL-6 levels was 5.6+/-3.9 pg/ml in children with IDA and 10.3+/-5.3 pg/ml in the control group (P<0.001). The percentage of neutrophils with oxidative burst activity when stimulated with pma was 53.4+/-32.7% in children with IDA and 81.7+/-14.3% in the control group (P=0.005). The percentage of monocytes with oxidative burst activity was 13.8+/-11.7% in children with IDA and 35+/-20.0% in the control group (P<0.001) when stimulated with pma. and 4.3+/-3.1 versus 9.7+/-6.0% (P=0.008) when stimulated with fMLP. The ratio of neutrophils with phagocytic activity was 58.6+/-23.3% in the anemic group; and 74.2+/-17.7% in the control group (P=0.057). The ratio of monocytes with phagocytic activity was 24.3+/-12.0% in the anemic group; and 42.9+/-13.4% in the control group (P=0.001). IgG4 level was 16.7+/-16.6 mg/dl in children with IDA and 51.8+/-40.7 mg/dl in healthy children (P<0.05). These results suggest that humoral, cell-mediated and nonspecific immunity and the activity of cytokines which have an important role in various steps of immunogenic mechanisms are influenced by iron deficiency anemia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul School of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ceyda
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ekiz
authors.forename: Leyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Agaoglu
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Karakas
authors.forename: Nuray
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gurel
authors.forename: Işik
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yalcin
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000276:immunology*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D012016:Reference Values; D016897:Respiratory Burst; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D015850:Interleukin-6