SERUM INTERLEUKIN-2 AND INTERLEUKIN-6 LEVELS IN IRON-DEFICIENCY ANEMIA

The aim of this study was to investigate the serum levels of interleuk in-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in children with iron deficiency anemia before and after iron supplementation. Twenty-five children wit h iron deficiency anemia 6 months to 3 years of age were included in t he study. Ten age-and sex-matched healthy children constituted the con trol group. In the iron-deficieny group the production of IL-2 was fou nd to be significantly lower than that in controls and became normal a fter iron supplementation (P < .001). But there was no difference in s erum levels of IL-6 in iron deficiency anemia before and after iron su pplementation (P > .05).