PO-0579Risk Factors For Iron Deficiency And Iron Deficiency Anaemia In Late Preterm Infants At The Age Of 6 Weeks

Background and aimsIron deficiency (ID) has long-term detrimental effects on neurodevelopment. Preterm infants are at risk for developing ID or iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) during the first weeks of life. The aim of this study was to identify early risk factors during hospitalisation for a deprived iron status in late preterm infants at the age of 6 weeks.MethodsWe analysed the iron status of 99 infants born between 32 and 35 weeks of gestational age from March 2011 to May 2013 in three non-tertiary hospitals in the Netherlands. ID and IDA at the age of 6 weeks were defined as a ferritin concentration 0.2 ml) 15 (SD 5) 19 (SD 8) 0.018* Necrotizing enterocolitis (yes, only Bell stage 1 or 2)1/31 (3,2%)2/26 (7,7%)0.452Sepsis (yes)5/31(16,1%)6/26 (23,1%)0.508Infant respiratory distress syndrome (yes)1/31 (3,2%)3/26 (11,5%)0.221 Ferritin at 1 week (in mu g/l) 217 (SD 133) 132 (SD 89) 0.004