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Assessment of iron, folate and vitamin B12 status in severe acute malnutrition
Taorem Yaikhomba1, Lakhan Poswal, Suresh Goyal
1Department of Pediatrics, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, 313001, Rajasthan, India, yai.taorem@gmail.com.
Insights
Vitamin B12 deficiency is more prevalent than iron and folate deficiencies in hospitalized children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. This highlights the critical need to assess vitamin B12 status in these vulnerable young patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Micronutrient Deficiencies
- Public Health
Background:
- Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children is associated with various micronutrient deficiencies.
- Iron, folate, and vitamin B12 are crucial for growth and development.
- Assessing the status of these micronutrients in SAM children is vital for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the status of iron, folate, and vitamin B12 in hospitalized children aged 6 months to 5 years with SAM.
- To determine the correlation between these micronutrient deficiencies and the clinico-epidemiological profile of the children.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 50 hospitalized children diagnosed with SAM.
- Collection of anthropometric measurements, demographic data, and clinical information.
- Estimation of serum ferritin, folate, and vitamin B12 levels using the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) method.
Main Results:
- 94% of children presented with anemia.
- Significant correlation observed between low weight-for-height Z-scores and vitamin B12 deficiency (p=0.015).
- Vitamin B12 deficiency was significantly more common (p=0.0006) than folate and iron deficiencies in this cohort.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin B12 deficiency is a more frequent occurrence than iron or folate deficiencies in children with severe acute malnutrition.
- These findings underscore the importance of screening for vitamin B12 deficiency in SAM pediatric populations.
Objectives:
To assess iron, folate and vitamin B12 status in hospitalized children aged between 6 mo to 5 y with severe acute malnutrition and its correlation with their clinico-epidemiological profile.
Methods:
The study was conducted on 50 children with severe acute malnutrition. Anthropometric measurements were taken to determine their nutritional status. The demographic profile and relevant information of individual patient were collected by using structured proforma and an informed consent was taken for enrolling the children into the study. Serum ferritin, folate and vitamin B12 was estimated using electrochemiluminiscence (ECL) method.
Results:
Seventy eight percent patients had weight/height (WT/HT) Z score < -3 standard deviation (3SD), 72 % with mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) <11.5 cm and 22 % of them had edematous malnutrition. Anemia was prevalent in 47(94 %) and there was significant correlation between WT/HT < -3SD and vitamin B 12 deficiency (p = 0.015). Significantly higher number of these patients had vitamin B12 deficiency as compared to folate and iron deficiency (p = 0.0006 each).
Conclusions:
Vitamin B12 deficiency was more common than iron and folate deficiencies in these patients with severe acute malnutrition.
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