Iron Deficiency Anemia in Pediatric Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Abstract

(1) Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause several complications as a result of the acidic pH over various cellular structures, which have been demonstrated and evaluated over time. Anemia can occur due to iron loss from erosions caused by acidic gastric content. In children, anemia has consequences that, in time, can affect their normal development. This study evaluates the presence of anemia as a result of pediatric gastroesophageal reflux disease. (2) Methods: 172 children were diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux in the gastroenterology department of a regional children’s hospital in northeast Romania by esophageal pH-metry and they were evaluated for presence of anemia. (3) Results: 23 patients with GERD from the studied group also had anemia, showing a moderate correlation (r = −0.35, p = 0.025, 95% confidence interval) and lower levels of serum iron were found in cases with GERD, with statistical significance (F = 8.46, p = 0.012, 95% confidence interval). (4) Conclusions: The results of our study suggest that there is a relationship between anemia or iron deficiency and gastroesophageal reflux due to reflux esophagitis in children, which needs to be further studied in larger groups to assess the repercussions on children’s development.

Is There a Potential Link between Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections in Children?

“…Physiological and pathological reflux episodes were differentiated by the pH values above, respectively, below 4. The Boix-Ochoa score was used to establish that the reflux episodes were pathological, cases scoring a value higher than 11.99 were included in the statistics [ 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”

Pediatric Gastroenterology Research

“…Other GER symptoms, as described in the literature, might appear as sleep disturbances, agitation and crying episodes, neck hyperextension, arching and rigidity or irritability [ 33 , 34 ]. Nutritional consequences, such as growth impairment and iron deficiency anemia, can also be considered signs of GER, proving its complex nature [ 35 , 36 ].…”