Search

Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia are very important disorders in childhood because, during this stage of life, the confluence of different factors can lead to iron deficiency. During childhood, there are rapid growth periods in which the need for iron increases and these needs are not always compensated for by a sufficient iron intake. We have studied a sample of 2,224 schoolchildren, both males and females, between the ages of 2 and 18 years, from five different schools in the Community of Madrid. The prevalence of anemia was studied by determining the hemoglobin, MCV and MCHC, whereas iron deficiency was assessed by measurement of serum iron. In our study population, the prevalence of iron deficiency was 4.94% and the rate of iron deficiency anemia was 0.94%. This disorder is predominant in 13 to 15 year olds (3.7% of the males and 3.53% of the females showed hemoglobin values below the reference range). In addition 6.73% of this group were iron deficient. The MCV was decreased in 2.69% of the subjects, after the exclusion of six children with thalassemia trait.

We have studied 2,224 children and adolescents of both sexes, ranging between 2 and 18 years of age, at five schools in the city of Madrid. We determined the lipid profile: total cholesterol (T-C), cholesterol bound to high density lipoproteins (HDL-C), cholesterol bound to low density lipoproteins (LDL-C), cholesterol bound to very low density lipoproteins (VLDL-C), triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein AI and apolipoprotein B100 (Apo A1 and Apo B100, respectively). In relationship to age and sex, in males, as age increases, there is an elevation in LDL-C and TG and a diminution in T-C, HDL-C, Apo AI and Apo B100. There are no changes in VLDL-C. In females, there is a diminution in LDL-C, TG, Apo-B100 and an increase in HDL-C, Apo AI and T-C, with the increase in T-C being found only in those older than 15 years.