Abstract
Introduction: Anemia is considered as an important health problem because it severely affects children's growth and development. It impairs the immune mechanisms and is also associated with increased morbidity. This meta-analysis aims to assess the correlation between anemia and intelligence quotient (IQ) in children. Methods: Articles on anemia and IQ in children under 18 years old were searched in Scopus, Pubmed, and ScienceDirect, using the search term “(((Anemia) OR (Hemoglobin)) AND ((Intelligence Quotient) OR (IQ)))”. Articles before 2000 and published in languages other than English were excluded. The outcome is Intelligence Quotient. Two independent reviewers performed article screening. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The statistical analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.4. Results: A total of 7 published studies with a total number of 1339 subjects were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled analysis showed there was a statistically significant decrease in mean IQ in anemic children, compared to non-anemic children (-9.97, 95% CI: -17.99 to -1.96, p = 0.01, I2 = 99%). All of the studies have a low risk of bias. Conclusion: A decrease in mean IQ in children under 18 years old is associated with the presence of anemia.
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