Iron Deficiency Is Common During Remission in Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Hematology
• Nutritional Deficiencies

Background:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects children, often leading to nutritional complications.
• Iron deficiency is a known complication, but its prevalence during remission in pediatric IBD requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of iron deficiency in children with IBD during clinical remission.
• To evaluate the hematological response to oral iron supplementation in these patients.

Main Methods:

• A population-based retrospective study of 90 Swedish children with IBD (median age 13 years).
• Analysis of patient records covering a median of 25 months.
• Assessment of iron status and hemoglobin levels before and after oral iron treatment.

Main Results:

• Iron deficiency was detected in 91% of children with assessable iron status.
• In clinical and biochemical remission, 85% of children had iron deficiency, with 34% having iron deficiency anemia.
• 89% of iron-deficient children (32/36) showed improved hemoglobin levels after 6 months of oral iron supplementation.

Conclusions:

• Iron deficiency is extremely common in pediatric IBD patients, even when in remission and with low anemia prevalence.
• Regular biochemical screening for iron deficiency is crucial for all pediatric IBD patients, regardless of symptoms or inflammatory markers.