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Nutritional status of young children with inherited blood disorders in western Kenya

Becky L Tsang, Kevin M Sullivan, Laird J Ruth

    The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
    |March 19, 2014
    PubMed

    Insights

    In Kenyan children, alpha-thalassemia is linked to anemia but not vitamin A or iron deficiency. Other inherited blood disorders showed no association with nutritional status or growth.

    Area of Science:

    • Hematology
    • Nutritional Science
    • Pediatrics

    Background:

    • Inherited blood disorders are prevalent in malaria-endemic regions.
    • Nutritional deficiencies are common in young children in western Kenya.
    • Understanding the interplay between blood disorders and nutrition is crucial for public health.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the association between inherited blood disorders and nutritional indicators in young Kenyan children.
    • To determine if conditions like alpha-thalassemia, G6PD deficiency, haptoglobin 2-2, and HbS are linked to anemia, vitamin A deficiency, or iron deficiency.

    Main Methods:

    • Cross-sectional population-based survey of 882 children aged 6-35 months in western Kenya.
    • Analysis of hemoglobin, ferritin, and retinol binding protein (RBP) levels.
    • Multivariable regression analysis to assess associations, adjusting for potential confounders.

    Main Results:

    • 71.7% of children were anemic, 19.1% had low ferritin (iron deficiency), and 30.9% had low RBP (vitamin A deficiency).
    • Homozygous alpha(+)-thalassemia was significantly associated with anemia (aOR=1.8, P=0.004).
    • No significant associations were found between alpha(+)-thalassemia, G6PD deficiency, haptoglobin 2-2, HbS, and iron deficiency, vitamin A deficiency, or poor growth.

    Conclusions:

    • Alpha-thalassemia is a significant risk factor for anemia in young Kenyan children.
    • Common inherited blood disorders in this population are not associated with iron or vitamin A deficiency or impaired growth.
    • Public health strategies should address anemia in the context of alpha-thalassemia prevalence.

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