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Iron stores in low and normal birth weight infants at birth and in early infancy

Ramesh Agarwal1, Deenanath Virmani, Munnalal Jaipal

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, ra.aiims@gmail.com.

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|August 28, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Serum ferritin levels were lower in low birth weight (LBW) infants at birth compared to normal birth weight (NBW) infants. By 3 months, both groups showed decreased ferritin, with similar low levels in a subset of LBW and NBW infants.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Infant iron status is crucial for development.
  • Low birth weight (LBW) infants may have altered iron stores.
  • Understanding serum ferritin dynamics in LBW vs. normal birth weight (NBW) infants is important.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare serum ferritin levels between LBW and NBW infants at birth and at 3 months of age.
  • To assess the prevalence of low serum ferritin levels (<12 ng/mL) in both groups at these time points.

Main Methods:

  • Serum ferritin was measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.
  • Infants were categorized into LBW (<2,500 g) and NBW (≥2,500 g) groups.
  • Measurements were taken at birth and at 3 months follow-up.

Main Results:

  • At birth, LBW infants (n=217) had significantly lower serum ferritin (318.6 ng/mL) than NBW infants (n=116; 366.2 ng/mL; p<0.01).
  • At 3 months, serum ferritin decreased in both groups (LBW: 66.9 ng/mL; NBW: 126.2 ng/mL), with no significant difference between them (p=0.27).
  • The prevalence of low ferritin (<12 ng/mL) was similar between LBW (11.9%) and NBW (11.8%) infants at 3 months (p=0.80).

Conclusions:

  • LBW infants are born with lower serum ferritin levels than NBW infants.
  • By 3 months, ferritin levels decline in both groups, and a similar proportion of LBW and NBW infants exhibit low ferritin levels.
  • Iron status monitoring in both LBW and NBW infants is warranted at 3 months of age.

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