Sodium chloride pica secondary to iron-deficiency anemia.

A young woman was referred for nephrologic evaluation of hypertension and a curious desire for table salt. Suspicion of iron-deficiency anemia arose only after it was determined that sodium balance was achievable during supervised sodium restriction. This salt craving abated within 2 weeks of initiation of iron replacement therapy. Although pica is a common manifestation of iron deficiency, this appears to be the first reported case of salt pica secondary to iron deficiency.