Prevalencia de anemia ferropénica en niños menores de 5 años, que acuden a la consulta externa de un hospital de la ciudad de Guayaquil.

Abstract

Iron deficiency anemia occurs when there is a lack of iron in children under 5 years of age; It is defined as a decrease in hemoglobin levels in the blood due to a deficiency of iron in the body. Children may experience fatigue, weakness, paleness, poor appetite, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. Objective: To determine the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in children under 5 years of age who attend the outpatient clinic of a hospital in the city of Guayaquil. Methodology: descriptive, quantitative, retrospective, cross-sectional. Population: 100 patients under 5 years of age who meet the inclusion criteria. Technique: Indirect observation, Instrument: Indirect observation matrix. Results: The prevalence rate of patients with iron deficiency anemia, during the month of March 2022 to March 2023 was 20.08%; Among the characteristics, male patients (67%), aged 1 to 12 months (57%), with moderate iron deficiency anemia (57%) predominated; among the causes, that they use iron supplements (79%) and that they did not present parasitism (77%). In complications, patients under 5 years of age predominated, and with low BMI (51%). Conclusion: The risk of presenting this type of anemia increases in preterm children, aged between 1 and 12 months, who presented parasitism; Therefore, to help reduce this prevalence, partitioning is necessary to motivate mothers to undergo proper medical check-ups.