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[Hematologic features of nutritional anemias in children]
Insights
Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia in children, often co-occurring with folate deficiency. Seric measurements are crucial for diagnosing nutritional anemias in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Hematology
- Nutritional Deficiencies
- Clinical Diagnostics
Context:
- Anemia is a significant health concern in children.
- Etiological studies are vital for effective treatment.
- Co-existing conditions like diarrhea and respiratory illness are common in anemic children.
Purpose:
- To investigate the causes of anemia in 89 children aged 6 months to 13 years.
- To differentiate between various types of nutritional anemia.
- To highlight the importance of seric measurements in diagnosis.
Summary:
- Iron deficiency was identified as the primary cause in 75% of anemic children.
- 18% presented with combined iron and folate deficiency.
- Megaloblastic anemia (folate or vitamin B12 deficiency) was found in 4 cases.
- Vitamin B12 deficiency cases exhibited severe pancytopenia and bone marrow changes.
- No morphological differences were observed between iron deficiency and iron plus folate deficiency groups.
- Seric iron, folate, and vitamin B12 levels were essential for etiological determination.
- Most children were hospitalized for other conditions, including diarrhea (58%) and respiratory diseases (18%).
- The study discusses clinical features and the high incidence of anemia in children under two years.
Impact:
- Establishes iron deficiency as the leading cause of anemia in the studied pediatric population.
- Underscores the diagnostic utility of seric measurements for nutritional anemias.
- Provides insights into the clinical presentation and co-morbidities associated with childhood anemia.
- Informs clinical practice regarding the etiological investigation of anemia in children.
Abstract:
In eighty nine anemic children, aged from 6 months to 13 years, the etiology of their anemia was studied: 67(75%) of the cases presented iron deficiency, 18(20%) iron and folate deficiency and 4 megaloblastic anemia (2 folate and 2 vitamin B12 deficiency). Patients with vitamin B12 deficiency showed severe pancytopenia and megaloblastic changes in bone marrow; but no morphological difference, either in circulating blood or bone marrow was found in patients with iron deficiency, compared to iron plus folate deficiency. The seric measurement of iron, folate and B12 were essential in order to establish the etiology of nutritional anemias. The majority of the children were accepted to the hospital for other causes than anemia, such as diarrhea (58%) and respiratory diseases (18%). Clinical features and the high incidence of anemia in children under two years of age are also discussed.