Diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia in children of Northeast Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To diagnose iron deficiency anemia in children.


METHODS
The study was conducted with a sample of 301 children aged six to 30 months attending public daycare centers in the city of Recife, Northeast Brazil, in 2004. The diagnoses of anemia were based on a combination of different hematological and biochemical parameters: hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, ferritin, C-reactive protein, transferrin saturation and transferrin receptor. The chi-square test and ANOVA were used in the statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Of all children studied, 92.4% had anemia (Hb<110 g/L) and 28.9% had moderate/severe anemia (Hb<90 g/L). Lower levels of hemoglobin were found in children aged 6-17 months. Iron deficiency was found in 51.5% of children using ferritin (<12 microg/L) as parameter. Taking into consideration the combination of hemoglobin level, ferritin and transferrin receptor, 58.1% had anemia with iron deficiency, 34.2% had anemia without iron deficiency and 2.3% had iron deficiency without anemia. Mean ferritin concentration was significantly higher in children with high C-reactive protein when compared with those with normal levels (22.1 vs. 14.8 microg/L).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of several biochemical and hematological parameters allowed to diagnosing iron deficiency anemia in two thirds of children, suggesting a need to identify other determinants of anemia without iron deficiency.
Carvalho
Antonio Geraldo Cidrão
AG
Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
Lira
Pedro Israel Cabral de
PI
Barros
Maria de Fátima Alcântara
Mde F
Aléssio
Maria Luiza Martins
ML
Lima
Marília de Carvalho
Mde C
Carbonneau
Marie Annette
MA
Berger
Jacques
J
Léger
Claude Louis
CL
D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000097:blood; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D014168:Transferrin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins