RESUMEN
In order to study the activity of superoxide dismutase [SOD] in red blood cells in children with iron deficiency anemia [IDA], thirty children suffering from IDA were studied. Ten matching normal healthy children served as controls. Complete blood count, iron profile, occult blood in stools and estimation of SOD activity were done. The results of this study showed that the SOD activity in anemic children was significantly higher than that of the control group [P<0.0005]. However, no significant correlation was found between SOD activity and other parameters including reticulocyte count, serum ferritin, serum iron and total iron binding capacity [TIBC]. The potential benefit of higher SOD activity in red cells from iron deficient children is to counteract the effect of oxidative stress. This work has been presented, in part, at the 25[th] Congress of the Union of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Pediatric Societies and 2[nd] Congress of the Lebanese Pediatric Society in Beyrout-Lebanon 14-17 April 1999