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Treatment of iron deficiency anemia in children: a comparative study of ferrous ascorbate and colloidal iron

Vijay N Yewale1, Bhupesh Dewan

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Yewale's Hospital & Vashi Criticare Tertiary Care Hospital, Navi Mumbai, India.

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|November 27, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Ferrous ascorbate significantly increased hemoglobin levels more than colloidal iron in children with iron deficiency anemia. Ferrous ascorbate is an effective oral iron supplement for pediatric anemia treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Hematology
  • Nutritional Anemia
  • Pharmacological Efficacy

Background:

  • Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a prevalent nutritional disorder in children.
  • Effective oral iron supplementation is crucial for managing pediatric IDA.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the efficacy of ferrous ascorbate versus colloidal iron in treating iron deficiency anemia in children.
  • To evaluate the impact of these iron supplements on hemoglobin levels.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 73 children aged 6 months to 12 years diagnosed with IDA.
  • Participants received either ferrous ascorbate or colloidal iron (3 mg/kg/day elemental iron) for 12 weeks.
  • Hemoglobin levels were assessed at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 weeks.

Main Results:

  • Ferrous ascorbate led to a significantly higher mean increase in hemoglobin (3.59 g/dL) compared to colloidal iron (2.43 g/dL) after 12 weeks (P < 0.01).
  • A greater proportion of children treated with ferrous ascorbate (64.86%) achieved non-anemic status versus those on colloidal iron (31.03%) (P < 0.01).

Conclusions:

  • Ferrous ascorbate demonstrates superior efficacy in raising hemoglobin levels compared to colloidal iron in pediatric patients.
  • The findings support ferrous ascorbate as a highly effective oral iron supplement for treating iron deficiency anemia in children.
Abstract

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