Abstract

We measured growth (length (L) SDS, growth velocity (GV) SDS and body mass index (BMI) and hematological {hemoglobin (Hb), hemnatocrit (Hct), MCV and (MCH)} parameters in 40 children (aged 17.2+/−12 4 months) with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) before and after iron therapy. Before treatment children with IDA had LSDS = −1.2±1, GV = 7.5±2.2, GVSDS = −1.42±0.6 and BMI = 13.5±1.2. They were significantly shorter and growing slowly vs age-matched controls. After treatment their growth parameters significantly increased with LSDS = −0.6±−0.9, GV = 13.2±4.4 cm/year, GVSDS = 1.7±0.5, and BMI = 14.2±1.1). Their GV was correlated significantly with serum ferritin concentration (r = 0.48, P<0.001) and BMI (r = 0.32, P<0.1). In summary iron deficiency anaemia during the first 2 years of life significantly impairs growth.