title: Iron deficiency anemia in infancy is associated with altered temporal organization of sleep states in childhood.
abstract: The highest prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in infancy coincides with a time of rapid changes in sleep organization. Since IDA in infancy is associated with long-lasting neurofunctional effects despite iron treatment, the normal development of sleep patterns might be affected. Night polysomnographic recordings were performed in 55 healthy 4-y-old children (former IDA = 27, nonanemic controls = 28). Both groups were followed from infancy and were similar in background characteristics. The duration of each waking episode was measured, as was the duration of each episode of nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep stages 1 (NREM1), 2 (NREM2), and 3-4 (SWS), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The data were analyzed according to the successive thirds of the total sleep time (TST). Relative to controls, former IDA children showed: a) longer duration of REM sleep episodes in the first third and shorter in the last third; b) more REM sleep episodes in the first third and fewer in the second third; and c) shorter latency to the first REM sleep episode and shorter NREM stage 2 and SWS episodes within the first sleep cycle. The results show that early IDA is associated with long-lasting alterations in the temporal organization of sleep patterns.
authors.affiliation: Sleep Laboratory, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile, Macul, Santiago 7830489, Chile. ppeirano@inta.cl
authors.forename: Patricio D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Peirano
authors.forename: Cecilia R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Algarín
authors.forename: Marcelo I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: Betsy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lozoff
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002677:Chile; D005260:Female; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006397:Hematinics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017286:Polysomnography; D012307:Risk Factors; D012894:Sleep Stages; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012895:Sleep, REM; D013997:Time Factors; D014851:Wakefulness
chemical_list: D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D006397:Hematinics; C020748:ferrous sulfate