PEDIATRICS · 1961 · 74 citations · 0 references
MedicineNutritional SciencesPediatricsGastroenterologyHuman NutritionIron Metabolism DisordersAnemiaIron DeficiencyIron Deficiency DisordersIron MetabolismIron NutritionMicronutrient Deficiency In ChildhoodIron Deficiency In InfancyIron Status In InfancyIron Utilization In Pediatrics
Blood loss from the gastrointestinal tract was measured in 13 infants with iron deficiency anemia, using radioiron as a tracer. The radioiron was given intravenously; radioactivity in the erythrocytes and feces was measured for the following 3 to 4 weeks. The percentage of total Fe administered that was recovered in the stools varied between 0.75 and 16.4%, with a mean of 5.75%. This represents loss of whole blood in the stools varying from 7 to 107 ml, with a mean of 41 ml during the observation period. Occult blood loss from the gastrointestinal tract appears to be a significant factor in the development of iron deficiency in early childhood.