Prophylactic iron supplementation for underprivileged school boys. II. Impact on selected tests of cognitive function
Gopaldas, T.; Kale, M.; Bhardwaj, P.
Indian Pediatrics 22(10): 737-743
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 3836202 Document Number: 102
The effect of prophylactic hematinic dosing at 30 and 40 mg elemental Fe on selected tests of cognitive function i.e., Visual Recall, Digit Span, Ala:es and Clerical Task, in anemic underprivileged school boys was studied. Three groups of 16 subjects each were initially matched for age, mean Hb, overall and individual scores of the 4 selected cognitive function tests and none were found to he significantly different from each other in any of the matching criteria. They were randomly assigned to Brown (placebo), Yellow (30 mg Fe) or Orange (40 mg Fe) tablets. Dosing was done for 60 days at a stretch at the beginning of the school term. Baseline and final FM values were determined 4 months apart. Results of this blind study indicated that (a) Fe supplementation at 40 tug Fe compared to the placebo group did significantly improve the cognitive function scores in the overall as well as in Visual Recall, Digit Span, Clerical Task and Mazes of a mixed group of anemic and non-anemic children. The improvement in Clerical Task was less clearcut; (b) Fe supplementation at 30 mug Fe improved the cognitive function scores in the overall and in Visual Recall but not in the other tests; (c) In case of anemic children (Hb = 10.5 g/dl) the benefit was seen at 40 mg Fe supplementation in the Overall and Visual Recall and Mares; and (d) Fe supplementation at either level did not bring about any significant enhancement in cognitive function scores in the clearly non-anemic children (Hb 11.5 = 11.5 g/dl).
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