Background: Iron deficiency, and specifically iron deficiency anaemia, remains one of the most severe and important nutritional deficiencies in the world today. Objective: To estimate the prevalence and associated factors for iron deficiency anaemia among pre-school children in Lagos. Methodology: The study was conducted from December 2009 to February 2010 at the outpatient clinics of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos. Serum iron, total iron binding capacity, transferrin saturation and serum ferritin were assayed in subjects. The primary outcome measured was iron deficiency anaemia established based on the following criteria: hemoglobin <11.0 g/dl1 plus 2 or more of the following: MCV <70fl, transferrin saturation <10% or serum ferritin <15ng/ dL. Statistical analysis included Pearson Chi square analysis and logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 87 apparently healthy subjects were recruited. Only one subject had iron depletion and this child belonged to the ≤ 2 years age category. None of the recruited subjects had iron deficiency without anaemia. Nine of the study subjects (10.11%) had iron deficiency anaemia. The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia was significantly higher among younger age group than in the older age group (19.1% Vs 2.1%, p = 0.022). The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia was significantly higher among subjects with weight-for-age, and weight-for-height Z scores below two standard scores (83.3% and 75.0% respectively, p = <0.001 and 0.001 respectively). Conclusion:The overall prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia among study subjects was 10.11%. Iron deficiency anaemia was more common in children aged two years and below. Weight-for-age and weight-for-height Z scores below minus two standard scores were strongly associated with iron deficiency anaemia.

BackgroundThe frequent need for blood transfusion in children with SCA creates the impression that IDA is rare in this class of children.ObjectivesThe objective of the study is to determine the prevalence of IDA in a population of under-five children with SCA in Lagos, Nigeria.MethodologySerum iron, total iron binding capacity, transferrin saturation and serum ferritin were assayed in 97 under-five children with SCAand 97 age/sex matched controls.The diagnosis of IDA was established based on the following criteria: haemoglobin <11.0 g/dl plus two or more of the following: MCV <70fl, transferrin saturation (Ts) <16% or serum ferritin (SF) <25ng/dLResultsOverall prevalence of IDA was significantly higher among AA controls. In the younger age group, the prevalence of IDA was significantly higher among HbAA controls while in the older age group the odds of having IDA was three times higher among HbSS subjects but the difference was not statistically significant. Two of the three SCA children with IDA have history of previous blood transfusion.ConclusionIDA is uncommon in pre-school aged children with SCA. A multi-centre study is necessary to yield large number of transfused subjects to examine the effects of blood transfusion on prevalence of IDA.

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