title: [Prevalence of pica in iron deficiency anemia in Marrakech (Morocco)].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pica is an eating disorder, defined by long-term ingestion of non-nutritive substances.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of pica in patients with iron deficiency anemia and to describe the population with both iron deficiency anemia and pica.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study examined records from the department of hematology at the Mohammed VI University Hospital Center in Marrakech of all adult patients seen from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2010 who met both criteria. Results: During the 6-year study period, 320 patients with iron deficiency anemia were seen: 256 women and 64 men (sex-ratio F/M: 4). The prevalence of pica among the patients with iron deficiency anemia was 17.5% (56/320). All the patients with pica were women, for a prevalence of 21.8% (56/256); their average age was 23 years; 40 were white (71.4%) and 16 black (28.6%). The clinical signs were primarily pallor (100%) and asthenia (100%). The mean level of hemoglobin was 7.6 g/dL and of ferritin, 6.4 mg/L. Geophagia was the most common form of pica (75%). Iron supplementation induced regression of pica in 64.3% of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows a high prevalence of pica in patients with iron deficiency anemia.
authors.affiliation: Service d'hématologie, CHU Mohammed VI, Amerchiche, 40000 Marrakech, Maroc, Université Cadi Ayyad, Maroc.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nafil
authors.affiliation: Service d'hématologie, CHU Mohammed VI, Amerchiche, 40000 Marrakech, Maroc, Université Cadi Ayyad, Maroc.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tazi
authors.affiliation: Service d'hématologie, CHU Mohammed VI, Amerchiche, 40000 Marrakech, Maroc, Université Cadi Ayyad, Maroc.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mahmal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D010842:Pica / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Morocco; anemia; iron deficiency; pica behavior; prevalence