Prevalence of microcytic hypocromic anemia in children with LRTI in the age group of 3 months to 5year: Is iron deficiency anemia a risk factor for LRTI?

Dr Chandrashekar B

doi:10.17511/ijpr.2014.i03.05

Abstract

Introduction: Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) include all infections of the lungs and the large airways below the larynx and includes croup syndromes, bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Anemia is a major public health problem that can occur at any stage of the life cycle, but is more prevalent in pregnant women and young children having iron deficiency. Methods: Objective: To evaluate prevalence of microcytic hypocromic anemia in children with LRTI in the age group of 3 months to 5 year: Is iron deficiency anemia a risk factor for LRTI. Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: A tertiary care center Karnataka, india (SIMS, shivamogga) Participants: 50 children who admitted for LRTI were included in the study group. Age and sex-matched 50 children, not having any respiratory illness, were taken as control group. Main outcome measures: They were subjected to complete blood count (CBC) mainly for hemoglobin, hematocrite, RBC indices and RDW in those children. Result: 35 out of 50 children of study group (70%) and 5 out of 50 children of control group (10%) had anemia. Out of 35 anemic children in study group 21(60%) and out of 5 anemic children in control group 4 had peripheral blood picture showing microcytic hypochromic anemia. And out of 35 anemic children in study group 28 (80%) and out of 5 anemic children in control group 2 had low ferritin. Conclusion: these value shows anemia is more prevalent in children with LRTI and most of those anemic have microcytic hypochromic anemia with high RDW indicating iron deficiency is the cause for anemia and probably iron deficiency is a risk factor for LRTI.

Highlights

Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) include all infections of the lungs and the large airways below the larynx and includes croup syndromes, bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia
A total of 100 children aging between 3 months and 5 years were selected; study group included 50 cases hospitalized for lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) as per criteria of WHO, and 50 healthy children without any respiratory problems, age and sex matched, attending Out Patient Department were included in control group
Study population was taken between 3m to 5years of age. 50 children with LRTI admitted in department were take in study group as per definition of WHO and 50 healthy children attending pediatric OPD were taken in control group

Summary

Introduction

Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) include all infections of the lungs and the large airways below the larynx and includes croup syndromes, bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Methods: Objective: To evaluate prevalence of microcytic hypocromic anemia in children with LRTI in the age group of 3 months to 5year: Is iron deficiency anemia a risk factor for LRTI. Out of 35 anemic children in study group 21(60%) and out of 5 anemic children in control group 4(80%) had peripheral blood picture showing microcytic hypochromic anemia. Conclusion: these value shows anemia is more prevalent in children with LRTI and most of those anemic have microcytic hypochromic anemia with high RDW indicating iron deficiency is the cause for anemia and probably iron deficiency is a risk factor for LRTI. Anemia is a major public health problem that can occur at any stage of the life cycle, but is more prevalent in pregnant women and young children having iron deficiency [3]. Iron deficiency anemia in children occurs most frequently between the age of 6 months and 3 years, the same period of age when repeated infections occur[5].

Methods

Results

Conclusion