title: Assessment of cardiac function in iron-deficient children without anemia.
abstract: Iron deficiency anemia may lead to impairment of many vital functions, including those in the cardiovascular system. However, the effects of iron depletion on cardiac function in the absence of anemia are not well known. In this study the authors examined the effects of iron deficiency without overt anemia on cardiac function in 59 children. Complete blood count, serum iron, serum iron-binding capacity, and serum ferritin levels were measured in all children. The children were divided into two groups according to serum ferritin levels: an iron-depleted group (n = 28) and a non-iron-depleted control group (n = 31). Echocardiographic examinations were performed using M mode and Doppler echocardiographic methods in all children to assess cardiac function. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of echocardiographic indices. Although the number of subjects in this study was small, the authors conclude that iron deficiency in the absence of overt anemia does not lead to important changes in cardiac function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Fatih University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ender
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Odemis
authors.forename: Ferhat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Catal
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karadag
authors.forename: Sadi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turkay
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology