Serum free carnitine and total triglycerid levels in children with iron deficiency anemia

Iron deficiency anemia and hyperlipidemia are common public health problems in Turkey. The connection between iron and lipid metabolisms has not been clarified yet. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of iron def iciency on carnitine and lipid metabolism, Study group was consisted of 70 children (mean age 14.7 +/-: 1.3 months) su ffering from iron deficiency anemia and 20 healthy children (mean age 13.7 +/- 1.3 months) attended to outpatient clinics of Cumhuriyet University, Si vas were enrolled the study as the control group. Assessments of serum free carnitine concentrations, total triglyceride, total cholesterol and VLDL l evels were made in both groups. The mean serum free carnitine concentration was significantly lower than th e control group ( 18.9 +/- 0.43 nmol/ mi and 45.9 +/- 1.47 nmol/ml respecti vely, t = 17.5 p < 0.01). Results of our study also indicated higher serum total triglyceride, total cholesterol and VLDL, levels in iron deficient pa tients than the healthy controls. Regression analyses indicated a negative correlation between serum free carnitine and total triglyceride levels in i ron deficient patients. This study confirms that iron deficiency anemia may be linked to the endoge nous carnitine synthesis in pediatric age group, and thus hyperlipidemia ap pears to be a risk factor for premature cardiovascular diseases.