Vitamin B 12 and Folic Acid Deficiency among Malnourished Children with Pancytopenia.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid Deficiency among Malnourished Children with Pancytopenia. Study Design: Cross-Sectional study. Setting: Department of Pediatric including both indoor and outdoor, Sheikh Zayed Medical College / Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan. Period: 1^st April 2017 to 25th February 2018. Material & Methodology: In this study 60 children having malnutrition and pancytopenia were included. The given performa was filled and record was maintained. Children visiting Paediatric OPD or admitted in the ward having severe malnutrition and pancytopenia in Complete Blood Count were included in the study. While the malnourished Children with normal blood count and children with malignancy e.g; Leukemia, lymphoma etc. were excluded from the study. Results: In this study, mean age of patients was 5 ± 4.2 years, mean weight 10.3± 7.6 kg, mean hemoglobin was 6 ±6.5 g/dl, mean folic acid was 7.7± 6.7 (median 5.6) and mean vitamin B12 563± 537(median 367). Out of total 37 (61.7 %) were male. In this study, grade I malnutrition was 2 (3.3 %), grade II, 17 (28.3%) and grade III, 41(68.3%). Conclusion: Vitamin B 12 & Folic Acid deficiency is found to be a major factor of bone marrow suppression in malnourished children and our result showed that folic acid deficiency was significantly low in females and Vitamin B12 in males.