Iron status of children with sickle cell disease

Background: Dietary iron requirements are unclear in children with SS-type sickle cell disease. Methods: Iron status was assessed in 104 nontransfused African American children (aged 0.5 to 17.6 years) with sickle cell diseas e who receive no iron supplement. Dietary iron intake was not measured at t he time of this study. Results: Serum ferritin was normal or high in all ch ildren. Other hematologic and biochemical indicators of iron deficiency wer e in the normal range in most children. Conclusions: Unlike previous studie s, this sample of children and adolescents did not show signs of iron defic iency.