Priscilla Monyangi Nyakundi
Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya
Title: The benefit of supplementing with iron and vitamin B12 singly and in combination on haemoglobin among 6 to 9 years old rural primary school children in Kilifi County, Kenya?
Biography
Biography: Priscilla Monyangi Nyakundi
Abstract
A double blind placebo controlled clinical trial supplemented 6 to 9 years old children both sexes with once daily 3 mg/kg Iron and 500 μg vitamin B12 singly and in combination three consecutive months, reviewed 3 and 6 months. Randomly selected: 81 Iron alone, 81 Iron combined with B12, 80 vitamin B12 alone and 80 placebo. Haemoglobin done: baseline, 3 and 6 months, WHO 11.5 g/dl haemoglobin cutoff used. Approvals: Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board, Kenya Medical Research Institutional Review Committees, Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation and Ministry of Education. Caregivers signed informed consent. Results: 322 recruited, 46.0% (148) boys, 54.0% (174) girls. Baseline haemoglobin: 11.27±1.14 g/dl, normal 46.9% (151, anaemic 53.1 % (171). Six months haemoglobin: 11.5 g/dl, normal 52.8% (170), anaemic 47.2% (152) - statistically significant χ2 3df p = 0.033. Normal haemoglobin: Iron 39.5% (32) to 48.1% (39), Iron combined with B12 50.6% (40) to 55.6 (45), Placebo 47.5% (38) to 61.3% (49), and B12 alone 50.0% to 46.3% (37). Paired haemoglobin 0 & 6 months statistically significant gain in Iron alone T-Test t 80 df p = 0.006 at 95% level of confidence. Oneway ANOVA Post Hoc Tests Iron alone superior to B12 - statistically significant 80 df p = 0.021 at 95% level of confidence. Conclusion: 1. Anaemia: severe public health problem, 2. Iron improved haemoglobin 3. Haemoglobin changes at 6 months. Recommendation: 1. Iron for 6 - 9 years old children, 2. Haemoglobin analysis 6 months 3, Analyze plasma for vitamin B12 and ferritin.
