Abstract

LATOUCHE, Gina; CONDE, Arelis; BARBELLA DE SZARVAS, Sobeida  and  CASTRO DE KOLSTER, Cruz. Factores de riesgo y de protección para la anemia ferropénica en niños menores de 6 años: Segundo premio poster. LIII Congreso Nacional de Pediatría 2007. Arch Venez Puer Ped [online]. 2007, vol.70, n.4, pp.119-125. ISSN 0004-0649.

Introduction: Iron deficiency anemia is considered as a worlwide public health problem. Small children are more vulnerable to this deficiency. Objective: To determine the risk and protection factors for iron deficiency anemia in children under 6 years of age. Methods: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. 100 children were evaluated. Variables: age, gender, social stratification, nursing type, complementary feedings, nutritional diagnosis, characteristic of the diet (calories, proteins and iron). Hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HTO), mean corpuscular volume (VCM), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (HCM), total and fractional proteins, serum iron. Results and discussion:. 46% of patients wer anemic. Average values were: age 19.2 months, duration of exclusive breastfeeding 5.2 months, beginning of complementary feeding 5.7 months, hemoglobin 9.9 g/dl. Younger children had an increased risk of developing anemia. There was not a statistically significant difference between anemic and non anemic patients in regard to Graffar and nutritional diagnosis. Risk factors for anemia (Odds Ratio -OR- values >1) were age under 24 months, lack of exclusive breastfeeding in children under 6 months, complementary feedings before 5 months of age, hypocaloric diet and serum iron <41 ug / dL . Normoproteic diets proved to be a protection factor (OR <1). Conclusion: Breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feedings after 5 months of age are protection factors for iron deficiency anemia in children under 6 years of age.

Keywords : Iron deficiency anemia; iron in blood; risk factors; factors protection.