Iron therapy for breath holding attacks in non-anemic infants and children

ABSTRACT

Breath holding attacks are common paroxysmal disorders in infants and children. Research trials showed good response to iron therapy. Most of these trials however, included anemic patients. To study the effect of iron therapy in the treatment of breath holding attacks in non anemic infants and children. This study has been carried out in the pediatric department, Sohag faculty of medicine in the period from 20 March 2005 to 20 February 2006. During this period all patients with breath holding spells were identified. Patients with anemia manifested clinically or with low Hb level or with low ferritin level were excluded from the study. We also excluded patients with abnormal neurological examination or abnormal electroencephalography [EEG]. The remaining patients [non-anemic neurologically normal patients] received oral iron in a dose of 6 mg/kg/day for 3 months. The response was determined either by disappearance [complete response] or decrease in the frequency and duration of attacks [partial response]. We identified 56 patients with breath holding spells. 27 patients were excluded from the study [20 were anemic, 4 had abnormal EEG and 3 had abnormal neurological examination]. The remaining 29 patients had been included in this study and received oral iron therapy. 3 patients received iron therapy but losses follow up. Concerning the 26 patients who had completed the study 13 patients showed complete response, 4 patients showed partial response and 9 patients did not show any response. Iron therapy should be tried in all infants and children with breath holding attacks