title: Nutritional status of iron in children from 6 to 59 months of age and its relation to vitamin A deficiency.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the iron nutritional status of children from 6 to 59 months of age and its relation to vitamin A deficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study involving 100 children, living in nine cities in the state of Paraíba, which were selected for convenience to form two study groups: children with vitamin A deficiency (serum retinol < 0.70 μmol/L; n = 50) and children without vitamin A deficiency (serum retinol ≥ 0.70 μmol/L; n = 50). The iron nutritional status was evaluated by biochemical, haematological and hematimetric indices. The cases of subclinical infection (C-Reactive Protein ≥ 6 mg/L) were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with vitamin A deficiency had serum iron values statistically lower than the corresponding values in children without deficiency. The other iron nutritional status indices showed no statistical difference according to presence/absence of vitamin A deficiency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The interaction between iron and vitamin A deficiencies was evidenced in the case of circulating iron deficiency (serum iron), suggesting failure in the transport mechanisms of the mineral in children with vitamin A deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Post Graduation Program in Public Health, State University of Paraíba, Paraíba. cristina.salles@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Márcia Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Sales
authors.forename: Adriana de Azevedo
authors.initials: Ade A
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.forename: Daiane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Queiroz
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Araújo França Costa
authors.forename: Maria Auxiliadora
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lins da Cunha
authors.forename: Dixis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Figueroa Pedraza
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D007501:Iron