Iron status of infancy and early childhood in south Taiwan.

The iron status of 206 infants and young children in South Taiwan were evaluated by measurements of serum iron, total iron binding capacity, serum ferritin, and hematological parameters of peripheral blood including hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). 18 subjects aged 2 months were included in the study and no iron deficiency was found in this group. Four groups of the other subjects aged between 3 and 36 months were studied; A: 3-6 months, 28 subjects, B: 6-12 months, 29 subjects, C: 12-24 months, 91 subjects, D: 24-36 months, 40 subjects. Prevalence of iron deficiency in those between 3 and 36 months was 34%, including iron deficiency without anemia 22.9% (n = 43) and iron deficiency anemia 11.1% (n = 21). Most cases (96.9%) of iron deficiency occurred in the infants and children aged 6-36 months. Iron deficiency without anemia in the A, B, C and D groups was 3.6%, 17.2%, 25.3%, 35.0% respectively and iron deficiency anemia were 3.6%, 17.2%, 12.1%, 10.0% respectively. Hematological parameters are less valuable in diagnosis of iron deficiency, with accuracy of 68.8%, 63.8%, 68.8%, 64.3% respectively for these four groups. These parameters decline significantly in the iron deficiency anemia group, but not in the iron deficiency without anemia group. Low levels (Hb less than 11 g/dl, hematocrit less than 33%, MCH less than 24 pg, MCV less than 72 fl) are indicators of a need to search a cause of anemia, especially iron deficiency anemia in infants and children with ages between 3 and 36 months, but normal values do not exclude iron deficiency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)