A study of iron deficiency anaemia in preterm babies and the effects of prophylactic iron.

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the haemoglobin levels at birth, the frequency of iron deficiency anaemia and the value of prophylactic iron in its prevention in preterm infants. At the start of the study there were 123 preterm infants weighing between lOOOgms and 2000gms, the . ... mean birth weight being l474gm(SD~269). The mean haemoglobin

level at birth for 112 preterms whose haemoglobin results were obtained was 16.2gm/dl (3D!2.5) with a range from lO.lgm/dl to 21.1gm/dl. There was no difference in haemoglobin levels

at birth between birth weights of IOOOgm and 2000gms correspoding to 28 and 34 weeks ~f gestation. Initially there were 63 cases in the study group and 60 cases in the control group.

At the end of 6 ~onths of follow up there were 19 cases in the treatment group and 8 cases in the control group.

The treatment group was giv~n ferrous sulphate solutio~

at a dose providing 2mg. eJemental iron/kg body weight/day ,~:.~j{. itarting from the end of the 2nd week of life. The cont~al group received no iron supplements ~ntil completion of the study. In both the treatment and control groups,haemoglobin - )

levels fell from birth to a nadir at the age of 2 months when the treatment group had a mean haemoclobin level of lO.3grn/dl and the control grou.p9.9me/ole Using the student t test the di~ferences in haemoglobin levels in the two groups were not significant upto the age of 3 months (p> 0.5). Bet w een 3- and 6 months 't.hre-ewere too few cases in the control group

compared to the treatment group and therefore the statistical

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test could not be done. However, infants in the treatment group had sliBhtly higher haemoglobin levels, MCV and MCR compared to the control group, and they also had fewer cases of iron deficiency anaemia. The frequency of iron deficiency anaemia at 6 months was 7% in the treatment group

compared to.71% in the control group. The value of prophylactic iron in prevention of iron deficiency anaemia could not be definitely verified by the results of this study.