title: Long-term neuroendocrine effects of iron-deficiency anemia in infancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) is recognized to have long-lasting effects on neurodevelopment, but there is little research on neuroendocrine systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study examined the effects of IDA in early or later infancy on plasma cortisol and prolactin stress-response patterns for 1 h after a venipuncture and catheter placement in 10-y-old healthy Chilean children. Children identified with IDA at 6 mo (IDA-6; n = 13) or 12 mo (IDA-12; n = 24) and who were iron sufficient (IS) at other infancy time points were compared to children who were IS at all time points during infancy (n = 23). All children received at least 6 mo of oral iron treatment in infancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 10 y of age, IDA-6 and IDA-12 children demonstrated altered cortisol response patterns; both showed a more immediate decline and IDA-12 children showed a blunted curvature as compared to IS children. IDA-12 children showed significantly lower cortisol levels at 30 and 45 min after venipuncture and catheter placement than did IS children. There were no significant differences for stress-responsive plasma prolactin patterns between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that having IDA during infancy is associated with long-term neuroendocrine effects on stress-responsive cortisol patterns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. truefelt@umich.edu
authors.forename: Barbara T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Felt
authors.forename: Patricio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peirano
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Algarín
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chamorro
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sir
authors.forename: Niko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kaciroti
authors.forename: Betsy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lozoff
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002677:Chile; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007229:Infant Welfare; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin; D007501:Iron; D006854:Hydrocortisone