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Anaemia control and the interpretation of biochemical tests for iron status in children

Thando P Gwetu1, Meera K Chhagan2, Myra Taylor2

  • 1Discipline of Public Health Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X7, Durban, 4013, South Africa. tgwetu@gmail.co.za.

BMC Research Notes
|April 27, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Non-iron deficiency causes significantly contribute to anaemia in South African children. Effective interventions require comprehensive assessment of iron status and inflammation before implementation.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Nutritional Science
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Anaemia is a major global child health issue, particularly in developing nations.
  • Uncertainty about anaemia's causes, especially non-iron deficiency factors, hinders effective control strategies.
  • Accurate assessment of iron status and other aetiologies is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and causes of anaemia in school-aged children in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.
  • To differentiate between iron deficiency anaemia and non-iron deficiency anaemia.
  • To assess the role of inflammation in anaemia diagnosis.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 184 children aged 6-8 years.
  • Measurements included haemoglobin, serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, and C-reactive protein.
  • Calculated body iron and categorized anaemia profiles, adjusting for inflammation.

Main Results:

  • High anaemia prevalence (23.4%) was observed.
  • Non-iron deficiency anaemia (79.1%) was the predominant type, compared to iron deficiency anaemia (16.3%).
  • Inflammation-adjusted serum ferritin improved iron deficiency diagnosis.

Conclusions:

  • Integrated assessment of iron status and inflammation/infection is essential for anaemia evaluation.
  • Interventions must address the multifactorial nature of anaemia in school-aged children.
  • Regular anaemia screening is recommended for children in disadvantaged communities.
Abstract

Keywords:
AnaemiaBody ironFerritinInflammationIron deficiencyParasite infectionSerum transferrin receptor

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