Effects of iron supplementation of low-birth-weight infants on cognition and behavior at 7 years: a randomized controlled trialShow others and affiliations
2018 (English)In: Pediatric Research, ISSN 0031-3998, E-ISSN 1530-0447, Vol. 83, p. 111-118Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Background Low-birth-weight infants (LBW) are at an increased risk of iron deficiency that has been associated with impaired neurodevelopment. We hypothesized that iron supplementation of LBW infants improves cognitive scores and reduces behavioral problems until school age.
Methods We randomized 285 marginally LBW (2,000-2,500 g) infants to receive 0, 1, or 2 mg/kg/day of iron supplements from 6 weeks to 6 months of age. At 7 years of age, 205 participants were assessed regarding cognition using Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) and behavior using the parental questionnaires Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Five to Fifteen (FTF).
Results There were no significant differences between the intervention groups in WISC-IV or FTF. However, the CBCL scores for externalizing problems were significantly different, in favor of supplemented children (P=0.045). When combining the supplemented groups, they had significantly lower scores for externalizing behavior compared with placebo (median (interquartile range): 44 [34;51] vs. 48.5 [41;56] P=0.013), and their risk ratio (95% confidence interval) for a total behavioral score above the cutoff for clinical problems was 0.31 (0.09-1.0), P=0.054.
Conclusion Lower scores of externalizing behavior in supplemented children support our previous findings at 3 years, and suggest that iron supplementation may have long-lasting effects on behavioral functions.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
New York: Nature Publishing Group, 2018. Vol. 83, p. 111-118
Keywords [en]
weeks gestational age, children born, late preterm, deficiency anemia, brain, growth, childhood, disorder, outcomes, risk
National Category
Pediatrics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-145099DOI: 10.1038/pr.2017.235ISI: 000426175900019PubMedID: 28953856Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85042054521OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-145099DiVA, id: diva2:1184314
2018-02-212018-02-212024-07-02Bibliographically approved