[Importance of iron for the recovery of malnourished infants]

Thirty one infants with moderate and severe protein-calorie malnutrition whose blood hemoglobin concentrations were higher than 10 g/dl were managed with diet supplements containing iron fortified cereals for three months. In addition, 17 of them were given an extra daily dose of elementary iron (3 mg/kg/day). Mean weight gain was similar in both subgroups but mean hemoglobin concentration raised by 1,2 g/dl among extra iron infants in contrast with no increase or even decreased hemoglobin levels at the end of follow up in controls, thus demonstrating the importance of adding supplementary iron to these children during the recovery period of under nutrition, even it the diet provides the usually recommended 8 to 10 mg/day of iron.