Author/Authors :
Mah, Evelyn University of Yaounde I - Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cameroon , Mah, Evelyn Yaoundé Gynaeco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, Cameroon , Nguefack, Félicitée University of Yaounde I - Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cameroon , Nguefack, Félicitée Yaoundé Gynaeco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, Cameroon , Nkeck, Jan René University of Yaoundé I - Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cameroon , Mouto, Ruth University of Yaoundé I - Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cameroon , Mbassi, Awa Hubert University of Yaoundé I - Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cameroon , Mbassi, Awa Hubert Chantal Biya Fondation - Mother and Child Centre, Cameroon , Nguefack, Seraphin University of Yaoundé I - Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cameroon , Nguefack, Seraphin Yaounde Gynaeco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, Cameroon , Chiabi, Andreas University of Yaoundé - Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cameroon , Chiabi, Andreas Yaoundé Gynaeco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, Cameroon , Obama, Marie Thérèse University of Yaoundé I - Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cameroon
Abstract :
Introduction. Although malaria is the most common cause of anemia in children in our context, it is still common practice for health practitioners to prescribe iron to patients with anemia based only on red blood cell indices. The assessment of iron stores is not common practice. Objective. To report the prevalence of iron deficiency in acute anemia among children received at the Yaoundé Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital in an infectious context. Methodology. This was a cross-sectional study over a period of 6 months, including 1451 Children with infection; aged 6 months to 15 years. Laboratory tests included, full blood count, septic screen depending on the clinical presentation, malaria test, direct stool examination, measurement of iron and ferritin levels in those presenting with biological anemia. The Chi² test was used for comparison and the association between qualitative variables; the threshold of significance was 0.05. Results. The sex ratio was 1.27. Children aged 6 to 60 months accounted for 72.9%. Malaria accounted for 68.8% of etiologies. Twothirds (57.2%) of the patients had biological anemia of which 19.1% were severe. Hypochromic microcytic anemia was more frequent (41.2%) and mostly (83.6%) in children less than 5 years. Serum iron and ferritin levels were measured in 64 patients among whom only 14 of them had low serum iron levels and 2 with low serum ferritin levels. Conclusion. The prevalence of anemia in children received for infectious problems was high but almost all the children had normal or high iron.
NaturalLanguageKeyword :
Anemia , iron deficiency , infection , child
