Prevalence of Anemia : Results of a Therapeutic Trial of Iron in 6 - Month and 12- Month-Old Infants Attending to Health Promotion Hospital, Health Promotion Center 10th, Chiangmai

Abstract

Iron deficiency anemia is a major global health problem especially in developing countries.  Iron is important for the development of the central nervous system.  Infants who experience iron deficiency anemia are likely to experience persistent effects of the deficiency that alter functioning in adulthood.  Therapeutic trial of iron to diagnose iron deficiency anemia is after therapeutic iron supplement for 1 month, hemoglobin increase of 1 g./dL. or hematocrit increase of 3% or greater.  The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of anemia (Hematocrit < 33%) by capillary hematocrit and response to a therapeutic trial of  iron in 6 and 12- month- old  infants.  The subjects of this descriptive and retrospective study were 6 and 12- month- old infants attending the Well Child Clinic since 1 January 2012 - 31 December 2014. The data were analyzed by frequency and using t-test and One-Way ANOVA to compare among the groups. There were 1,373 1,796 and 1,809 subjects attending in 2012, 2013, and 2014.  Within this group, there were 712, 924 and 947 six-month-old infants and 661, 872 and 862 twelve-month-old infants, respectively.  In 2012, 2013 and 2014, there were 9 (1.3%) 10 (1.1%) and 13 (1.4%) anemic six-month -old infants respectively, whereas there were 10 (1.5%) 11 (1.3%) and 18 (1.4%) anemic twelve-month -old infants, respectively. The one month therapeutic iron supplementation was satisfactorily completed by 29 in both six and twelve-month-old infants.  Eighteen (62.1%) of the six-month-old and 16 (55.2%) of the twelve-month-old infants had an increase of 1 g./dL.of hemoglobin or hematocrit increase of 3% or greater.  Infants that response to therapeutic trial of iron received elemental iron average 4.3 mg./kg./day, while infants that partially response received elemental iron average 3.6 mg./kg./day, which is significantly different at .05.

Conclusion:  Therapeutic trial of Iron to diagnose iron deficiency anemia is worthwile and not troublesome.  The dose and duration of elemental iron should be proper and should take the same laboratory method to follow up the response of treatment.  Furthermore, it is more advantageous determine the population prevalence of anemia by hemoglobinometry using hemoglobin screening test,  the copper sulfate gravity method or portable hemoglobinometer (HemoCue system), which are  standard acceptable methods.