Effects of the prevention of iron deficiency in pre-and postnatal periods on infant’s motor development

• Grant number: 14/00018-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): April 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Denise Castilho Cabrera Santos
• Grantee: Denise Castilho Cabrera Santos
• Host Investigator: Betsy Lozoff
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde. Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba (UNIMEP). Instituto Educacional Piracicabano. Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Research place: University of Michigan, United States

Abstract

Iron deficiency (ID) is the most prevalent nutritional disorder in the world and can affect neuromotor development, even in children who received iron supplementation. The aims are: to investigate the effects of preventing ID on motor development of infants depending on timing (Aim 1) and duration (Aim 2) of iron supplementation (pre- and/or early postnatal); to relate the motor development outcomes to the severity of ID (Aim 3) and consider the reversibility of motor development effects with iron therapy, depending on timing (Aim 4). The project will involve two randomized clinical trials (postnatal RCT and prenatal RCT) and the study groups are: a) prenatal- and early postnatal iron supplementation, b) prenatal iron, c) early postnatal iron, and d) neither. Random allocation of 500 infants in each group was estimated. Iron status and motor development will be assessed at birth, nine and 18 months. Comparisons of groups (b) versus (c) in relation to (d) identify the differential effects of preventing ID in pre-and postnatal (Aim 1). Comparisons of groups (a) versus (b) or (c) and in relation to (d) determine whether the period of early iron supplementation has distinct effects on motor development (Aim 2). Dosages of iron for each age will be analyzed to determine the level of ID that adversely affects motor development (Aim 3). To identify the reversibility of effects, depending on the age/time of treatment (Aim 4), the results of motor development at 18 months will be compared to the following groups of infants: 1) never had ID, 2) with ID at birth and allocated in the supplementation group of postnatal iron, 3) maternal ID anemia treated in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, and 4) infants with ID anemia treated at nine months of age. This study is part of a research project led by Dr. Betsy Lozoff (Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan). (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LOZOFF, BETSY; JIANG, YAPING; LI, XING; ZHOU, MIN; RICHARDS, BLAIR; XU, GUOBIN; CLARK, KATY M.; LIANG, FURONG; KACIROTI, NIKO; ZHAO, GENGLI; et al. Low-Dose Iron Supplementation in Infancy Modestly Increases Infant Iron Status at 9 Mo without Decreasing Growth or Increasing Illness in a Randomized Clinical Trial in Rural China. Journal of Nutrition, v. 146, n. 3, p. 612-621, MAR 1 2016. (14/00018-0)

SANTOS, DENISE C. C.; ANGULO-BARROSO, ROSA M.; LI, MING; BIAN, YANG; STURZA, JULIE; RICHARDS, BLAIR; LOZOFF, BETSY. Timing, duration, and severity of iron deficiency in early development and motor outcomes at 9 months. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, v. 72, n. 3, p. 332-341, MAR 2018. (14/00018-0)

ANGULO-BARROSO, ROSA M.; LI, MING; SANTOS, DENISE C. C.; BIAN, YANG; STURZA, JULIE; JIANG, YAPING; KACIROTI, NIKO; RICHARDS, BLAIR; LOZOFF, BETSY. Iron Supplementation in Pregnancy or Infancy and Motor Development: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PEDIATRICS, v. 137, n. 4, APR 2016. (14/00018-0)