Effects of oral iron(III) hydroxide polymaltose complex supplementation on hemoglobin increase, cognitive function, affective behavior and scholastic performance of adolescents with varying iron status: a single centre prospective placebo controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of iron supplementation on iron status, cognitive function, affective behavior and scholastic performance in adolescents with varying iron status. METHODS: Adolescents of both sexes with varying iron status were allocated to four treatment groups by using inclusion criteria. Three of the four groups (iron deficient anemic, iron deficient and control supplement) received iron(III) hydroxide polymaltose complex (IPC, Maltofer) containing 100 mg of elemental iron 6 days a week for 8 months, while the fourth group (control placebo) was given a placebo. Hematological parameters, cognitive function, affective behavior and scholastic performance were assessed at baseline, 4 months and 8 months of supplementation. RESULTS: Cognitive and scholastic performance test scores for the three supplemented groups increased from baseline to 4 months and from 4 months to 8 months (with concomitant increases in hematological parameters), whereas no increase was observed in the placebo group. No increase was seen in affective behavior scores for any of the groups during or after supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: IPC supplementation for eight months yielded significant improvements in cognitive function and scholastic performance in Indian adolescents with and without iron deficiency and anemia.

Effects of oral supplementation with iron(III) hydroxide polymaltose complex on the hematological profile of adolescents with varying iron status.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of supplementation with oral iron(III) hydroxide polymaltose complex on the iron status of adolescents with and without iron deficiency and anemia. METHOD: Adolescents of both sexes with varying iron status were allocated to four treatment groups by using inclusion criteria. Three of the four groups received iron(III) hydroxide polymaltose complex (IPC, Maltofer) containing 100 mg of iron 6 days a week for 8 months. The fourth group was given a placebo. Hematological parameters were assessed at the baseline and after 4 and 8 months of supplementation. RESULTS: IPC supplementation resulted in a significant increase in iron parameters in all the three supplemented groups including correction of iron deficiency and anemia along with improvement in storage iron after 8 months. No side effects were noted in any of the supplemented subjects. CONCLUSIONS: IPC supplementation improved the iron status of adolescents with and without iron deficiency and anemia. These data provide evidence that IPC is an easy-to-administer and well tolerated compound which can improve and normalize the iron status of iron deficient and anemic patients.

Effect of Vitamin A supplementation on the immune response to measles vaccination.

A randomized controlled trial was conducted in 395 infants aged 9-12 months to determine the effect of Vitamin A supplementation on concurrently administered measles vaccine. Antibody response was measured using the plaque reduction neutralization assay. No statistically significant differences were demonstrated between the immune response in Vitamin A supplemented and unsupplemented children. Unlike some recent studies, we were unable to demonstrate an immune enhancing effect of Vitamin A supplementation. On the contrary, among children who were given Vitamin A, a lower, but statistically non-significant, proportion had protective antibody levels 6 months after vaccination.