title: Iron deficiency in childhood and adolescence: retrospective review.
abstract: Two hundred and thirty-eight subjects of both sexes, age range 7.5 months-16 years, with iron deficiency (ID), were included in a retrospective review of ID causes, to determine the best treatment. Inadequate iron intake was the cause of ID or iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in 59 subjects from the first months of life to adolescence. Blood loss linked to cow's milk intolerance was the cause of ID or IDA in 37 younger children. Meckel's diverticulum (MD) (6 cases), reflux esophagitis (RE) (10 cases), some drugs such as acetyl salicylic acid (11 cases) induced bleeding with ID or IDA in children and adolescents. In pubertal females with ID or IDA, polymenorrhea was observed in 16 cases. Coelic disease (CD) (37 cases), Helicobacter pylori infection (HPI) (39 cases), association of HPI and CD (8 cases), enteromonas infection (15 cases), determining particularly malabsorption, were causes of ID or IDA in patients of a wide age range, unresponsive to iron therapy. Our findings show that iron replacement therapy was not always required and should not be prescribed until the diagnosis is certain.
authors.affiliation: Department of pediatrics, The 2nd university of naples, Naples, Italy. mara.ferrara@unina2.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Capozzi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects; D002417:Cattle; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007501:Iron / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008286:Malabsorption Syndromes / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008467:Meckel Diverticulum / Q000150:complications; D008796:Metrorrhagia / Q000150:complications; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D019266:Iron, Dietary; D007501:Iron; D001241:Aspirin