2023-05-03 13:45:20
According to medical statistics, children under 2 years of age and pregnant women are the most vulnerable groups in terms of the incidence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia.
Iron deficiency anemia, as a public health problem, has stimulated interest in proposing and trying to provide alternative solutions aimed at prevention due to the strong impact it has when it occurs early in life. It is a pathology characterized by the insufficiency of mineral for the synthesis of proteins and enzymes that contain iron. As a consequence, it can cause chronic growth retardation, decreased cognitive abilities, lethargy, poor attention span, and digestive tract disorders, among others. The reduction of the iron content in the brain can be irreversible if the treatment of the deficiency is not carried out in time.
Worldwide, the prevalence of anemia in preschoolers was estimated at 43% and in Argentina the National Survey of Nutrition and Health showed 34.5% in children under 2 years of age, and 50.8% in infants of 6 years of age. to 9 months. A study carried out at the Health Observatory of the Pediatric Development and Research Institute (IDIP) found that 1 in 3 clinically healthy infants under 6 months of age were anemic, with no differences depending on whether they were exclusively or mixed breast-fed. The WHO endorses the international consensus by which universal pharmacological supplementation of infants and pregnant women is a priority strategy when the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia is greater than 40%. In this sense, the Argentine Society of Pediatrics (SAP) recommends daily preventive supplementation with ferrous sulfate from 2 months of life.
Despite this indication and the free provision of ferrous sulfate through the Remediar program, the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia is high and adherence to preventive supplementation is low, being identified as one of the main factors causing this low adherence. adverse digestive effects, possible forgetfulness by caregivers and/or lack of medical prescription. That is why in the 1990s weekly administration was proposed as an alternative for the prevention of anemia in pregnant women and children over 1 year of age, although the evidence in infants is scarce. For this reason, the study carried out by the work team made up of the members of the line “Mutagenesis, antimutagenesis and cellular nutrigenomics” of the Veterinary Genetics Institute (IGEVET) and IDIP professionals, focuses on babies from 3 to 6 months old.
In this research, we seek to compare the effectiveness of weekly iron administration versus daily administration for the prevention of anemia in infants and to analyze its impact on genomic stability. “As a work methodology, a clinical trial was carried out on infants from 3 to 6 months old who passed their controls at the IDIP Health Observatory. They were grouped according to whether they received exclusive breastfeeding or mixed breastfeeding and randomized to daily or weekly intervention. Anemia, nutritional iron status and genomic stability were evaluated before the start of supplementation and at the end”, described Gisel Padula, PhD in Natural Sciences and director of the project whose title is: “Effectiveness of iron administration in the form of weekly versus daily administration in the prevention of anemia in infants. Impact of both supplementations on genomic stability”.
Gisel Padula. (Photo: National University of La Plata / Investiga Portal)
Dr. Padula explained: “the objective of our work is to demonstrate that the preventive supplementation of anemia with weekly ferrous sulfate will have an effectiveness comparable to daily administration in the prevention of anemia in infants, presenting as a plus greater adherence and lower incidence of adverse effects, oxidative stress and genetic damage. In relation to the above, there is evidence obtained in previous tests carried out in vitro by the IGEVET working group, that weekly iron administration presents a decrease in genomic instability”.
Finally, Dr. Padula highlighted that “this research is the product of the dedicated work of Dr. Horacio González in the area of pediatrics, who was director of the IDIP during the project’s gestation. Likewise, the work carried out by all the professionals and technicians of that institution to achieve it was vital”. (Source: National University of La Plata / Investiga Portal. CC BY 2.5)
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