Summary
The presence of occult blood in stools was tested by the benzidine test in 32 children aged 4 to 12 years, with iron-deficiency anemia. The test was done both before and after iron therapy for correction of anemia. Haemoglobin level ranged from 3 gm.% to 9 gm.%.
34.4 per cent of children with anemia showed evidence of occult blood in faeces. After iron therapy and disappearance of anemia, the benzidine test was repeated in 30 children and was found to be negative in all.
A group of 20 normal children served as controls. None of them had any evidence of occult blood in stools.
The pathogenesis of occult bleeding in the gastro-intestinal tract is discussed. It is suggested that such blood loss is one of the several manifestations of disturbed intestinal function in iron deficiency.
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From the Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-16.
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Guha, D.K., Rashmi, A. Occult blood loss in iron deficiency anemia in children. Indian J Pediatr 34, 1–5 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02795477
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02795477