Serum iron concentration in malnourished children from an urban and rural area in democratic republic of the Congo

Abstract

Introduction: malnutrition (protein energy malnutrition, vitamin deficiency) contributes to anemia. At the same time, iron-deficiency anemia is one of the most common nutritional disorders in the world, especially in developing countries. This study aims to determine iron concentrations in malnourished children aged 6-59 months and factors associated with variation in iron levels. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study from 01 July 2013 to 31 July 2014. The study involved 180 malnourished children and the study period began right after their admission in Nutrition Care Center. Another group living in the outskirts of the town, in the village Kawama, was included in the study. Venous puncture was performed, blood collection tubes of each patient were centrifuged and then analyzed by spectroscopy. Results: one hundred and seventy children (93.4%) had serum concentration lower than the normal value. However, 12 children (6.59%) had serum iron concentration between 610-1300 µg/L with mean concentration of 159.5 µg/L. Out of 170 children with serum iron concentration of <610 µg/L, 79 children (42.18%) were under the age of 24 months, 3 of whom (1.78%) were under the age of 6 months. In Kawama, 62 children (36.47%) had iron concentration <610. There was no statistically significant association between iron and risk factors, except for the provenance variable with P considered significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: serum iron concentration were lower in acutely or chronically malnourished children on admission, with a mean iron concentration of approximately 159.5 µg/L; this would justify the vast iron fortification programs of different foods and/or the administration of iron in the first week while treating complications (malaria, bacterial infections and other parasitic infections).