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A Point-of-Care Method with Integrated Decision Support Tool to Estimate Anemia at Population Level
Published on: January 19, 2024
Prevalence and risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in children with iron deficiency anemia
Jung Won Yoon1, Sung Woo Kim, Eun Gyong Yoo
1Department of Pediatrics, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea.
Insights
Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is common in Korean children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Breastfeeding and testing during winter/spring are significant risk factors for VDD in these children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Nutritional Deficiencies
- Public Health
Background:
- Increasing breastfeeding rates raise concerns about vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in infants and children.
- VDD and IDA are significant public health issues in pediatric populations worldwide.
- Early identification and management of these deficiencies are crucial for child development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in Korean children diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia (IDA).
- To identify risk factors associated with VDD in this specific pediatric population.
- To inform clinical practice regarding screening and supplementation for VDD in children with IDA.
Main Methods:
- Prospective survey of 79 children diagnosed with IDA from April 2010 to March 2011.
- Data collection included questionnaires, medical assessments, and laboratory tests (25-hydroxyvitamin D, hemoglobin, wrist radiography).
- Statistical analysis, including multivariable analysis, was used to identify risk factors.
Main Results:
- High prevalence of VDD (39%) and subnormal vitamin D levels (58%) observed in children with IDA.
- Breastfeeding was reported in 89% of subjects, with 97% of those with VDD being breastfed.
- Younger age (<2 years), breastfeeding, and testing during winter or spring were identified as significant risk factors for VDD.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is highly prevalent in Korean children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA).
- Primary care physicians should consider VDD screening in children diagnosed with IDA.
- Supplementation with both vitamin D and iron is recommended for affected children.
Purpose:
The increasing prevalence of breast feeding has led to concerns about vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in children. We evaluated the prevalence of VDD in a population of Korean children with IDA and assessed the risk factors for VDD in these children.
Methods:
A total of 79 children who were diagnosed with IDA were prospectively surveyed from April 2010 to March 2011. Data were collected by questionnaire, medical assessment, and laboratory tests, including measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), hemoglobin, and wrist radiography.
Results:
The median age was 22 months and 30% of the subjects were female. Over a half of subjects (58%) had subnormal vitamin D level (25OHD<30 ng/mL), and VDD (25OHD<20 ng/mL) was present in 39% of children. There was no difference in serum hemoglobin level between IDA patients with VDD and those without VDD. Most subjects (89%) were currently or had recently been breastfed and almost all subjects (97%) who had VDD received breastfeeding. Children with VDD were more likely to be younger than 2 years, to have been breastfed, and to have been tested in winter or spring. Multivariable analysis indicated seasonal variation was a significant independent risk factor for VDD in our IDA patients.
Conclusion:
Our results demonstrated that VDD has a high prevalence in Korean children with IDA. Primary care physicians should be aware of the possibility of VDD in children with IDA and should supplement the vitamin D as well as iron.
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