Clinico- etiological profile of severe nutritional anaemia in Children - A Hospital based study.

N Srinivasa Suresh; Usha Rani Thota

Volume : VII, Issue : IX, September - 2018

Clinico- etiological profile of severe nutritional anaemia in Children - A Hospital based study.

N Srinivasa Suresh, Usha Rani Thota

Abstract :

Nutritional anemia is a common public health problem in India. Severe anemia compromises growth and development of children. Iron deficiency is the most common cause but vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies are also increasingly reported.

Objectives:

1) To study the aetiology of severe nutritional anaemia in children between 6 months to 14 years of age and to correlate severity of anaemia with serum levels of iron, folic acid and Vitamin B12.

2) To determine the demographic and socioeconomic factors and dietary practices contributing to nutritional anaemia.

Material and Methods: A prospective observational study done on 140 children aged 6 mo to 14 years admitted in Niloufer hospital for severe nutritional anemia. Subjects were divided into group1(6 mo to 59 mo) constituting 41.4%, group 2(5 yr –10 yr) constituting 33.5% and group 3 (10 yr –14 yr) constituting 25% of the total. Demographic, clinicoetiological factors were analysed to identify the risk factors in each group.

Results: Iron deficiency anemia was the most common cause across all the groups. Macrocytic anemia is sharply increased in the adolescent age group. Low birth weight, improper complementary feeding , recurrent diarrhea were important risk factors in group1. Female sex, vegetarian diet are the important risk factors in adolescent group. Serum levels of iron, ferritin, foliate, vitamin B12 correlated well with severe anemia. Female adolescents with megaloblasticanemia presented with peculiar clinical features not seen in other groups.