Iron supplementation and six-month hemoglobin in Peruvian children: a dose response analysis

Authors

Keywords:

analytical epidemiology; anemia; child nutrition; follow-up studies; nonlinear dynamics

Abstract

Introduction: Hematological response to iron supplementation in young children is variable, and the precise number of effective doses remains undetermined.

Objective: To evaluate the dose-response relationship between the number of iron supplementations and hemoglobin levels at six months in children under 36 months.

Methods: Analytical study using secondary data from 4,781 children under 3 years from Junín (Peru), with available measurements of baseline and six-month hemoglobin. The exposure was the total number of supplementations (0-6 doses). ANOVA and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used for comparisons across categories, and a generalized additive model (GAM) with penalized splines was applied to estimate the nonlinear relationship between supplementation and Hb6, adjusting for baseline age.

Results: The GAM showed a significant nonlinear effect for the number of doses (p = 0.015). The curve exhibited a nonlinear trend, with a progressive increase from approximately 3 doses and relative stabilization around 5-6 doses. Group comparisons showed small but statistically significant differences (p < 0.01).

Conclusion: Iron supplementation showed a nonlinear association of limited magnitude with six-month hemoglobin levels.

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References

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Published

2026-05-11

How to Cite

1.
Guevara Tirado A. Iron supplementation and six-month hemoglobin in Peruvian children: a dose response analysis. Rev. cuba. med. mil [Internet]. 2026 May 11 [cited 2026 May 14];55(2):e026077178. Available from: https://revmedmilitar.sld.cu/index.php/mil/article/view/77178

Issue

Vol. 55 No. 2 (2026): April - June (In Progress...)

Section

Brief Communication

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Copyright (c) 2026 Alberto Guevara Tirado

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