2023-10

Passer Journal (Issue : 5) (Volume : 2)

ABSTRACT Background: Anaemia is a lower concentration of haemoglobin and red blood cells. Nearly 1.62 billion individuals worldwide suffer from anaemia, of which approximately 47% are preschool-aged children. Anaemia due to iron deficiency can be prevented by breastfeeding, taking formula with iron, avoiding cow's milk till the child reaches the age of one year, and including iron-rich foods in the diet. Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anaemia and associated factors in children under the age of five who were admitted to Zakho General Hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2022 to February 2023 among children under 5 years in Zakho city. 1404 children were recruited in this study, and the ages ranged from six months to five years. A spectrophotometric method is typically used to assess anaemia by measuring the haemoglobin (Hb) concentration. Results: The children that participated in this study were 1404, ages 6 months to 60 months (23.01± 14.77). Age and anaemia were significantly correlated (p-value <0.01), with a higher prevalence of anaemia in younger age groups. In children aged 6 months to less than 24 months, the history of breast-feeding was significantly correlated with anaemia; 164 (59%) of the 278 children with a history of breast-feeding had anaemia (p-value <0.0001). Anaemia and meat consumption were significantly correlated (p-value= 0.007). The frequency of egg intake, the size of the family, and the level of the mother's education had no effect on anaemia. Conclusion: Among children under the age of five, particularly those under two, anaemia is disturbingly widespread, according to our study. As a result, enhanced nutritional therapy and a robust public health education campaign may assist in reducing the prevalence of this hematologic health concern. Additionally, it was shown that a history of breast-feeding and a limited meat diet are the two most significant risk factors for anaemia.

2023-10

Science Journal of the University of Zakho (Issue : 11) (Volume : 3)

ABSTRACT: Background: G6PD deficiency, which affects 400 million individuals globally, is an X-linked hereditary enzymopathy that causes acute hemolysis after exposure to specific oxidative agents such as fava beans, more than 37 drugs, and infections viral or bacterial. Neonatal jaundice worsened by kernicterus is one of the condition's significant consequences. It can be prevented by avoiding the oxidative factors that cause a hemolytic episode alongside neonatal screening programs for early detection of afflicted individuals. Objectives: This research aimed at investigating the variability in clinical and biochemical manifestations among children with G6PDD. This is the first study to be carried out in the Zakho area. Methods: A cross-sectional study was used, recruiting 112 children attending Zakho Emergency Hospital from January 2022 to April 2023. Laboratory aids involved in obtaining CBC, liver enzyme activities, and blood grouping were all investigated. The IBM SPSS 26 program was used to analyze the obtained data. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between male and female patients in terms of age, time of admission, hemoglobin level, WBC count, and liver enzymes. The majority of cases who visited Zakho Emergency Hospital within 72 hours of exposure to the triggering agent were males (67.9%), with the most common clinical features being jaundice, dark urine, and abdominal pain. Conclusion: In this study, the three main symptoms in G6PD deficient patients with acute hemolysis were pallor, jaundice, and black urine. These signs appeared several hours or even days after consuming fava beans. The primary clinical symptoms and the patient's gender, family history, or prior newborn jaundice were not related, according to our research.

2023-10

Child Health (Issue : 18) (Volume : 6)

Abstract.  Background. Healthcare systems are very concerned about childhood obesity, which continues to be a barrier to medical innovation. Over the last three decades, the frequency of childhood overweight/ obesity has increased significantly. Children spend a significant amount of time in front of electronic devices such as cell phones, games, computers, and television that is linked to a decreased physical activity and weight gain. The purpose of the study was to find the association between watching screen media and obesity in school-aged children from Zakho. Materials and methods. This is a cross-sectional, case-control, face-to-face survey study. All students aged 9–15 years from different schools were invited to complete the questionnaire. Well-trained medical students collected the anthropometric measurements of weight and height. Results. A total of 500 students between 9 and 15 years were interviewed. Approximately 72 % of them were males and 28 % were females. There was a significant association between a history of eating while watching screens and obesity (P = 0.003), as well as between the average number of hours spent daily using a computer and obesity (P = 0.016). Conclusions. In summary, this study supported the link between screen usage and childhood obesity in school-aged children. As a result, it is vital to create health promotion initiatives that emphasize a healthy 24-hour period, which includes a balanced amount of time spent engaging in physical activity, watching television, and sleeping.

2022-08

Journal of Contemporary Medical Sciences (Issue : 4) (Volume : 8)

Abstract Background: Obesity is a growing health problem all over the world. Approximately 18–38% of under 5 years old children have iron deficiency anemia. Obese people are more likely to be have iron deficiency. Studies that dealt with the relationship between iron deficiency and obesity are not homogeneous. Aim: To examine the association between obesity and iron status and the presence of iron deficiency anemia in children. Methods: This case-control study included 100 children between 2–14 years of age who were divided into two age- and sex-matched equal groups of 50 children each. Children with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 95th centile were categorized as obese while the other 50 children with a BMI greater than or equal to 5th centile but less than 95th centile were considered the normal weight group. Children with cardiac disease, liver disease, chronic gastrointestinal disease and chronic hematologic disorders except iron deficiency (with or without anemia) and those taking Vitamin or mineral supplements regularly during the previous year were excluded. Each participant was sent for serum iron, ferritin, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation TS and complete blood count. Iron deficiency is defined as Transferrin Saturation (TS) lower than 16% and IDA is defined as TS lower than 16% and hemoglobin (Hb) concentration lower than 120 g/l or 12 mg/dl for children. The data were analyzed using SPSS-23 software and for all data normal distribution was tested so that P-value <0.05 is the level of threshold for statistical significance. Results: The gender distribution between the both group is reversed with male being more common in obese group but no statistical difference. The age distribution shows dominance of the age group 5–10 years in the both group with some differences which are of no statistical significance (P= 0.294). The values of Hemoglobin, serum iron, serum ferritin, total iron binding capacity and transferrin saturation are obviously similar between the both genders of the whole study population with no statistically significant differences (P = 0.084, 0.469, 0.48, 0.4, 0.571 respectively). Obese children have higher level of Hemoglobin (P = 0.069), Ferritin (P = 0.5) and total iron binding capacity (P = 0.449) but lower levels of serum iron (P = 0.234) and transferrin saturation(P = 0.45) but with no statistical significance. Conclusion: There is no significant association between obesity and iron status and the presence of iron deficiency anemia despite a lower level of serum iron and lower transferrin saturation in obese than normal weight children.