"What Are the Key Hematological Features of Iron Deficiency Anemia?"

Iron-Deficiency Anemia

Iron-deficiency anemia, a prevalent anemia symptom among women, typically stems from inadequate iron intake or absorption barriers. Common symptoms encompass fatigue, pallor, dizziness, inattention, retarded development, and heightened menstrual flow. Fortunately, this condition is readily treatable through routine iron supplementation.

Symptoms of Iron-Deficiency Anemia:

1. Primary iron deficiency manifestations include heavy menstrual bleeding in women, dark stool/bloody stool/abdominal discomfort due to peptic ulcer/tumor/hemorrhoids, abdominal pain/altered stool characteristics from intestinal parasite infection, weight loss from neoplastic diseases, and hemoglobinuria.

2. Anemia symptoms involve fatigue, proneness to tiredness, dizziness, headaches, blurred vision, tinnitus, palpitations, dyspnea, poor appetite, pallor, and elevated heart rate.

3. Tissue iron deficiency presents as mental and behavioral irregularities like irritability, anger, inattention, pica; decreased physical strength and endurance; increased infection susceptibility; delayed growth, development, and intellectual impairment in children; stomatitis, glossitis, lingual papillae atrophy, angular cheilitis, dysphagia; dry, brittle hair; dry, wrinkled skin; and nails lacking luster, prone to brittleness and cracking. In severe cases, nails may flatten or even concave (spoon nails).

Types of Therapeutic Iron Agents:

Therapeutic iron agents fall into two categories: inorganic iron and organic iron. Inorganic iron is exemplified by ferrous sulfate, while organic iron comprises iron dextran, ferrous gluconate, sorbitol iron, ferrous fumarate, and polysaccharide iron complex. Notably, inorganic iron agents tend to exhibit more pronounced side effects than organic ones.

Focus on Nutritional Healthcare for Infants, Adolescents, and Women:

For infants, early introduction of iron-rich foods like eggs, liver, spinach, etc., is advised. Adolescents should correct dietary biases and undergo regular parasite infection screenings and treatments. Pregnant and lactating women can benefit from iron supplementation, while menstruating women should prevent and manage excessive menstrual bleeding. Furthermore, prevention and treatment measures should be implemented for individuals with neoplastic diseases and chronic hemorrhagic conditions.