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Serum lipid and lipoprotein profile in children with iron deficiency anemia
A Ece1, M R Yiğitoğlu, N Vurgun
1Department of Pediatrics, Celal Bayar University, Medical Faculty, Turkey. a_ece@hotmail.com
Insights
Children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) have lower levels of atherogenic lipids. This is linked to reduced energy and protein intake, not iron deficiency itself.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Cardiovascular Health
- Hematology
Background:
- Serum lipoprotein abnormalities are linked to atherosclerosis risk.
- High body iron and serum iron are risk factors for coronary heart disease in adults.
- Iron deficiency's impact on lipids in children is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the relationship between iron deficiency anemia (IDA), macronutrient intake, and lipid profiles in children.
- Determine if iron deficiency directly impacts serum lipid and lipoprotein levels.
- Assess the effect of iron supplementation on lipid profiles.
Main Methods:
- Compared 56 children with IDA (aged 3.0 ± 1.3 years) to 60 healthy controls.
- Analyzed serum lipid profiles, including total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, HDL-C, and lipoprotein (a).
- Assessed dietary intake of energy, macronutrients, and supplemented iron orally.
Main Results:
- Children with IDA had significantly lower TC, LDL-C, lipoprotein (a), and LDL-C/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C ratios compared to controls.
- IDA group showed higher apoA-1 and HDL-C levels but similar triglycerides and apoB.
- IDA group had lower dietary energy, carbohydrate, fat, and protein intake; supplementation normalized lipid profiles.
Conclusions:
- Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in children is associated with macronutrient deficiencies.
- The observed low atherogenic lipid profile in IDA is primarily due to reduced energy and protein intake, not iron deficiency per se.
- Iron supplementation normalized the lipid profile, suggesting dietary factors are key.
Background:
A close association has been found between serum lipoprotein abnormalities and the risk of atherosclerosis. In adults, high stored body iron, high serum iron concentrations and low iron binding capacity were found to be risk factors for coronary heart disease. Iron-deficient diets have caused contradictory lipid changes in rats. This report investigates the relationships between iron deficiency, macronutrient intake and the serum lipid and lipoprotein profiles in children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA).
Methods And Results:
Fifty-six children with IDA, aged 3.0 +/- 1.3 years and 60 healthy age- and sex-matched controls were evaluated. The mean total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), lipoprotein (a) levels and LDL-C/high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and TC/HDL-C ratios of the IDA group were significantly lower than those of controls. While there were no differences in triglycerides and apolipoprotein B (apoB) values between patients and controls, apolipoprotein A-1 (apoA-1) and HDL-C levels were higher in the IDA group. Dietary energy, carbohydrates, total fat and protein intakes of the IDA group were lower than those of controls. After oral iron supplementation, the lipoprotein profile of patients with IDA became similar to controls. In the multivariate analysis, while energy was taken as a covariate, there was no difference in the lipid profile of patients and controls.
Conclusions:
Patients with IDA are also deficient in macronutrients. The low atherogenic serum lipid profile of IDA is not a direct result of iron deficiency itself, but related to decreased energy and protein intakes.