title: Association between iron status, iron deficiency anaemia, and severe early childhood caries: a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Severe tooth decay is known to affect the health and well-being of young children. However, little is known about the influence of Severe Early Childhood Caries (S-ECC) on childhood nutritional status. The purpose of this study was to contrast ferritin and haemoglobin levels between preschoolers with S-ECC and caries-free controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children were recruited as part of a larger case-control study examining differences in nutritional status between those with and without S-ECC. Preschoolers with S-ECC were recruited on the day of their dental surgery, while caries-free controls were recruited from the community. Parents completed a questionnaire and the child underwent venipuncture. The study was approved by the University's Health Research Ethics Board. Statistics included descriptive, bivariate and logistic regression analyses. A p value ≤ .05 was significant. A total of 266 children were recruited; 144 with S-ECC and 122 caries-free.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 40.8 ± 14.1 months. The mean ferritin concentration for all children was 29.6 ± 17.9 μg/L while the mean haemoglobin level was 115.1 ± 10.1 g/L. Children with S-ECC were significantly more likely to have low ferritin (p=.033) and low haemoglobin levels (p>.001). Logistic regression analyses revealed that children with S-ECC were nearly twice as likely to have low ferritin levels and were over six times more likely to have iron deficiency anaemia than caries-free controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with S-ECC appear to be at significantly greater odds of having low ferritin status compared with caries-free children and also appear to have significantly lower haemoglobin levels than the caries-free control group. Children with S-ECC also appear to be at significantly greater odds for iron deficiency anaemia than cavity-free children.
authors: Department of Preventive Dental Science, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Manitoba, 507-715 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg MB R3E 3P4, Canada. umschrot@cc.umanitoba.ca
authors: Robert J
authors: RJ
authors: Schroth
authors: Jeremy
authors: J
authors: Levi
authors: Eleonore
authors: E
authors: Kliewer
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Friel
authors: Michael E K
authors: ME
authors: Moffatt
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins
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