Association of folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiency in children with iron deficiency anaemia
Abstract
Objective: To find out the association of folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiency in patients with iron deficiency anaemia in Indian children admitted to a tertiary hospital.
Design: Observational cross sectional study.
Setting: Tertiary-level hospital from October 2010- September 2011, for a period of one year. Participants: All children aged between 6 months to 13 years, admitted in paediatric ward of this hospital for any complaints, were evaluated for anaemia. All patients with Hemoglobin levels less than the WHO cut off levels for anaemia were included in the study. Those who were sick and those who were on drugs, other conditions causing bone marrow suppression were excluded from the study.
Methods: Serum iron, serum iron binding capacity, serum ferritin, serum vitamin B12, and serum folic acid analyses were conducted with autoanalyzers using commercial kits.
Results: Out of 975 children who were admitted during the above period, 100(34 females and 66 males) anemic children were included in the study. 2 patients were excluded as one child was diagnosed with Thalassemia minor and another patient was diagnosed as acute lymphoblastic Leukemia. Hence 98 children were taken up for study. Iron and Folic acid Deficiency observed in 6.12 % (6/98), Iron and vitamin B12 Deficiency in 3.06 % (3/98), Folic acid and vitamin B12 Deficiency in 1.02 %(1/98), Iron, Folic acid and vitamin B12 Deficiency in 1.02 %(1/98) of patients.
Conclusions: Iron deficiency anaemia coexist with vitamin B12 and folate deficiency, but their association with iron deficiency anemia was not significant in our study.
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