Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T05:21:02.460Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An assessment of the incidence of iron deficiency in paediatric otolaryngology inpatients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Judith M. Heaton ,
Robin L. Blair ,
Clemency Shadbolt  and
Helen Christmas
Judith M. Heaton*
Affiliation:
Dundee
Robin L. Blair
Affiliation:
Dundee
Clemency Shadbolt
Affiliation:
Dundee
Helen Christmas
Affiliation:
Dundee
*
Miss Judith M. Heaton, M.A., F.R.C.S., Department of Otolaryngology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The aims of this study were: to determine whether there is an increased incidence of iron deficiency in paediatric otolaryngology inpatients compared with other surgical controls; and to establish whether preoperative screening of haemoglobin level is warranted in such patients.

Children aged 1–10 years admitted electively for ENT surgery or for general surgical procedures had blood taken for haemoglobin level, mean cell volume and serum ferritin. Their age, weight, socio-economic class and ethnic background were recorded.

A total of 100 patients entered the study, in a six-month period. The mean ages and weights for the two groups were statistically different, so allowance was made for this in calculations. Social class was not significantly different. No relationship could be established between haemoglobin level and ferritin level for individual patients. Multiple regression analysis for haemoglobin level, mean cell volume and for ferritin level showed that allowing for the age and weight differences these variables were not significantly different for the two groups.

This study has therefore shown no increased incidence of iron deficiency in paediatric ENT inpatients. Each Department should formulate its own policy on pre-operative haemoglobin screening, based on local considerations.

Keywords

Iron deificiencyAnaemia
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 105 , Issue 12 , December 1991 , pp. 1021 - 1024
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Paper presented at the meeting of the Scottish Otolaryngological Society on 10th 1991.

References

Addy, D. P. (1986) Happiness is iron. British Medical Journal, 292: 969–970.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Andelman, M. B., Sered, B. R. (1966) Utilization of dietary iron by term infants. American Journal of Diseases of Children, 111: 45–55.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brock, J. H. (1986) Iron and the outcome of infection. British Medical Journal, 293: 518–519.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Burman, D. (1972) Haemoglobin levels in normal infants aged 3–24 months and the effects of iron. Archives of Diseases in Childhood, 47: 261–271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Busuttil, A., Kerr, A. I. G., Logan, R. W. (1979) Iron deficiency in children undergoing adenoid-tonsillectomy. Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 93: 49–58.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cantwell, R. J. (1972) Iron deficiency anaemia of infancy; some clinical principles illustrated by the response of Maori infants to neonatal parenteral iron administration. Clinical Paediatrics, 11: 443–449.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chandra, R. K., Saraya, A. K. (1975) Impaired Immunocompetence associated with iron deficiency. Journal of Pediatrics, 86: 899–902.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dacie, J. V., Lewis, S. M. (1984) Practical Haematology 6th ed. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Dallman, P. R., Reeves, J. D., Driggers, D. A., Lo, E. Y. T. (1981) Diagnosis of iron deficiency; the limitations of laboratory tests in predicting response to iron treatment in 1-year-old infants. Journal of Pediatrics, 98: 376–381.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ehrhardt, P. (1986) Iron deficiency in young Bradford children from different ethnic groups. British Medical Journal, 292: 90–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hercberg, S., Galan, P., Chauliac, M., Zohoun, I., Masse-Rambault, A-M. (1987) Iron Status and Inflammatory Processes in Anaemic Children. Journal of Tropical Paediatrics, 33: 168–172.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Macdougall, L. G., Anderson, R., McNab, G. M., Katz, J. (1975) The immune response in iron deficient children; impaired cellular defence mechanisms with altered humoral components. Journal of Pediatrics, 86: 833–843.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mira, E., Benazzo, M., Asti, L., Marchi, A., Spriano, P., Losi, R. (1988) Iron status in children undergoing tonsillectomy and its short-term modification following surgery. Acta Otolaryngologica, Supplement 454: 261–264.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nalder, B. N., Mahoney, A. W., Ramakrishnan, R., Hendricks, D. G. (1972) Sensitivity of the Immunological Response to the Nutritional Status of Rats. Journal of Nutrition, 102: 535–541.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (1980) Classification of Occupations 1980. London; Her Majesty's Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Saarinen, U. M., Siimes, M. A. (1978) Serum ferritin in assessment of iron nutrition in healthy infants. Acta Paediatric Scandinavia, 67: 745–751.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed