Assessing iron deficiency anaemia in paediatric congenital heart disease at a tertiary hospital in Eastern Uganda
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Abstract
Background. Iron deficiency is among the most common nutritional deficiencies, and among children with congenital heart disease (CHD), the associated anaemia is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality, especially in low- and middle-income countries where definitive surgery is usually inaccessible and significantly delayed. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of (and factors associated with) iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) among children with CHD at the paediatric cardiology clinic of a tertiary hospital in Eastern Uganda.
Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study. A total of 140 children aged 6 months to 12 years with CHD were recruited into the study. IDA was defined as a ferritin level <15 μg/L and haemoglobin (Hb) as recommended by the World Health Organization for children: 6 months to <5 years Hb <11 g/dL; 5 to <12 years, Hb <11.5 g/dL; and 12 to <15 years, Hb <12g/dL. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with IDA.
Results. The majority (75.7%) of the participants had acyanotic heart lesions. The prevalence of IDA was 20.7% with a 95% CI of 14.7 - 28.3%. The prevalence of IDA was 26.5% and 18.9% among participants with cyanotic and acyanotic heart lesions, respectively. Lack of iron supplementation (OR 0.14; 95% CI 0.03 - 0.68; p=0.014) was associated with IDA.
Conclusion. Children with CHD in low-resource settings should be routinely screened for IDA and supplemented with iron when deficient.
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