Iron Deficiency Is Common During Remission in Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The aim was to study prevalence of iron deficiency in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) during remission. In addition, there was an observational evaluation of hematological response to oral iron. A population-based retrospective study including 90 Swedish children (median 13 years) with IBD was performed. Patient records covered in median 25 months. Iron deficiency was present in 70/77 children (91%) in which iron status could be assessed. In clinical and biochemical remission, iron deficiency was found in 57/67 (85%) of children, and 23 (34%) of them had iron deficiency anemia. Thirty-six iron-deficient children were prescribed oral iron supplementation and 32 (89%) improved hemoglobin levels over 6 months. In conclusion, iron deficiency is common during clinical remission in children with IBD, even in cohorts with low prevalence of anemia. Therefore, regular biochemical screening for iron deficiency is warranted during all stages of disease, irrespective of symptoms and inflammatory blood markers.