PREDICTION OF IRON DEFICIENCY IN CHILDREN USING EASY LABORATORY TOOLS

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Hematology
• Clinical Pathology
• Nutritional Anemia

Background:

• Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is prevalent in children, impacting growth and development.
• Early detection is crucial for timely intervention and preventing long-term consequences.
• Assessing the utility of standard laboratory tests for predicting IDA in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of common, accessible laboratory tests in identifying iron deficiency anemia in children.
• To determine if routine blood work can reliably predict IDA, reducing the need for specialized iron studies.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical records from 55 children (mean age 4.9 years) with anemia.
• Evaluation of complete blood count (CBC), serum iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), serum ferritin, and transferrin saturation.
• Comparison of laboratory results against established reference ranges to identify deficiencies.

Main Results:

• Reduced hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum ferritin, and transferrin saturation indicated clear iron deficiency.
• Subtle deficiencies were suggested by red blood cell counts and indices near lower limits.
• Red cell distribution width, platelet count, white blood cell count, and TIBC remained unaffected.

Conclusions:

• Hemoglobin and hematocrit from CBC, with subtle red cell index changes, strongly suggest IDA in children.
• Widely available and inexpensive tests facilitate early detection and treatment of pediatric IDA.
• Routine tests can guide management, considering the increased iron demands in this age group.