Gwetu Thando P, Chhagan Meera K, Taylor Myra, Kauchali Shuaib, Craib Murray
Discipline of Public Health Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X7, Durban, 4013, South Africa.
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
BMC Res Notes. 2017 Apr 26;10(1):163. doi: 10.1186/s13104-017-2472-5.
Anaemia is one of the world's most prevalent child health problems. Its control in Africa and other developing nations has been hindered by uncertainty regarding its cause. Anaemia control has been particularly problematic in regions where the non-iron deficiency causes of anaemia, are projected to be substantial. The implementation of effective interventions to reduce the anaemia prevalence, requires improved documentation on iron status and other causes of anaemia for target populations.
This cross-sectional study enrolled n = 184 children, aged 6-8 years from Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Tests of haemoglobin, serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor and C-reactive protein were performed. These conventional measures of iron status were used to calculate body iron and to categorize the children into different groups of anaemia profiles.
Anaemia prevalence was high, 43/184 (23.4%). Iron deficiency anaemia contributed 7/43 (16.3%) to the anaemia prevalence compared to non-iron deficiency anaemia 34/43 (79.1%) and mixed anaemia 2/43 (4.7%). In total 47/184 (25.5%) of the sampled children had either iron deficiency or anaemia. Information about the presence of inflammation was used to adjust serum ferritin concentrations, resulting in improved diagnosis of iron deficiency.
Appropriate investigations for iron status and inflammation/infection screening, need to be integral in the evaluation of anaemia and its causes before anaemia control interventions are implemented. Interventions that target the multifactorial nature of anaemia in school-aged children need to be strengthened. Additionally, regular screening of anaemia in school-aged children from disadvantaged communities is recommended.
贫血是全球最普遍的儿童健康问题之一。在非洲和其他发展中国家，由于贫血病因不明，其控制工作受到阻碍。在预计非缺铁性贫血病因占很大比例的地区，贫血控制尤其成问题。实施有效的干预措施以降低贫血患病率，需要更好地记录目标人群的铁状态和贫血的其他病因。
这项横断面研究纳入了来自南非夸祖鲁 - 纳塔尔省的184名6至8岁儿童。进行了血红蛋白、血清铁蛋白、可溶性转铁蛋白受体和C反应蛋白检测。这些传统的铁状态指标用于计算体内铁含量，并将儿童分为不同的贫血类型组。
贫血患病率很高，184例中有43例（23.4%）。缺铁性贫血占贫血患病率的7/43（16.3%），而非缺铁性贫血为34/43（79.1%），混合性贫血为2/43（4.7%）。总共184名抽样儿童中有47例（25.5%）患有缺铁或贫血。有关炎症存在的信息用于调整血清铁蛋白浓度，从而改善缺铁的诊断。
在实施贫血控制干预措施之前，对铁状态进行适当调查以及进行炎症/感染筛查，应成为评估贫血及其病因不可或缺的部分。需要加强针对学龄儿童贫血多因素性质的干预措施。此外，建议对弱势社区的学龄儿童定期进行贫血筛查。
