All issues > Volume 33(1); 1990

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1990;33(1):75-80. Published online January 31, 1990.

A Study on Anemia of Acute Infectious Disease in Children.

Hae Won Lee¹, Young Mi Hong¹, Seung Joo Lee¹, Keun Lee¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

Received: August 16, 1989;  Accepted: October 23, 1989.

Abstract

The anemia of acute infectious disease has come to attention recently, since iron deficiency anemia has decreased. We screened for anemia in children admitted to Ewha Womans University Hospital due to acute infectious disease between January 1, 1986 and July 31, 1988, and studied the incidence and characteristics of anemia in acute infectious diseases. The result were as follows: 1) The incidence of anemia in acute infectious diseases was 5.8%. Acute infections such as meningitis, urinary tract infection； and sepsis were related to high incidence of anemia. 2) Among them iron deficiency anemia was diagnosed in 2.2% by serum ferritin level below 10 ng/ ml, and the rest (3.6%) was diagnosed as acute infectious anemia. 3) Mean serum ferritin level in iron deficiency anemia was 5.1±3.2 ng/ml (p<0.05). Mean serum ferritin level in acute infectious anemia was 172.7±254.0ng/ml, which was higher than that of normal control, but not significant. 4) In children with high fever, elevated ESR, positive CRP and leukocytosis, the incidence of acute infectious anemia was significantly higher (18.8%) than IDA. In children with none of above, the incidence of acute infectious anemia was not significant. 5) In acute infectious anemia, the initial serum ferritin level was significantly lower in nonrecovery group of anemia than that of recovery group. All IDA was recovered by iron therapy.

Keywords :Anemia, Acute Infection, IDA