Long-term developmental outcome of infants with iron deficiency

Article Abstract:

More than 20 percent of babies throughout the world suffer from iron deficiency anemia. These infants score lower on tests of mental and motor development than healthy infants. Because tests conducted during infancy do not necessarily predict how well a child will do later on, it is not clear whether these deficits will affect school performance. This study assessed 163 of 191 Costa Rican children diagnosed with and treated for iron deficiency anemia during infancy. They were retested at the age of five years. Although all the children had normal blood test results at follow-up, children who had moderate iron deficiency anemia as infants scored lower than their healthy counterparts on tests of mental and motor functions. Children with iron deficiency persisting after three months of treatment and those with moderate anemia scored lower than healthy children, suggesting that the duration and severity of iron deficiency may affect future performance. Children who did not respond to therapy may have suffered from other conditions that were undetected, such as giardiasis (infection caused by an intestinal parasite) or vitamin A deficiency. These results are consistent with those of other long-term studies of iron deficiency in infants, although the hemoglobin levels at which iron deficiency anemia was associated with lower scores varies among studies. Care must be taken in generalizing results from one region to another, because diet, prevalence of infectious diseases, and even altitude affect iron status. Similarly, many factors affect developmental outcomes. The current therapeutic approach does not significantly improve the prognosis of these children, and other changes must be implemented, particularly those emphasizing the prevention of iron deficiency anemia in infants. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Testing, Causes of, Costa Rica, Child development, Developmental disabilities, Iron deficiency diseases in children, Iron deficiency diseases

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The use of transcranial ultrasonography to predict stroke in sickle cell disease

Article Abstract:

Children with sickle cell anemia who are at risk for stroke may be identified with ultrasound. Ultrasound was used to determine the velocity of blood flow through the blood vessels of the brain in 190 children with sickle cell anemia. Children who had a cerebral blood flow greater than or equal to 170 centimeters per second were considered to have a positive ultrasound scan. Twenty-three of the children were positive and 167 were negative. Seven children had a stroke during the 29-month follow-up period, and six of these patients had a positive ultrasound scan. Cerebral angiography - injecting a dye into cerebral blood vessels to visualize them - was performed on six of the children who had a stroke. All had moderate to severe arterial disease. Children who test positive for increased cerebral blood flow on ultrasound could be treated with blood transfusions to reduce the risk of stroke.

Usage, Risk factors, Sickle cell anemia in children, Sickle cell anemia, Stroke (Disease), Stroke, Doppler ultrasonography

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