Risk factors for anemia among women and their young children hospitalized with suspected thiamine deficiency in northern Lao PDR

Anemia among women and young children remains a major public health concern. This secondary study describes the anemia prevalence among young hospitalized children and their mothers in Northern Lao PDR, and explores possible nutritional causes and risk factors for anemia. Hospitalized children (ages 21days – <18months) with clinical symptoms suggestive of thiamine deficiency disorders were eligible along with their mothers. Venous blood was collected for determination of hemoglobin, ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), retinol binding protein (RBP), erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient (EGRac), thiamine diphosphate (ThDP) and acute phase proteins. Risk factors for anemia were modelled using minimally adjusted logistic regression controlling for age. Hemoglobin results were available for 436 women (mean±SD age 24.7±6.4 years; 1.6% pregnant) and 427 children (4.3±3.5 months; 60.3% male). Anemia prevalence (Hb <120g/L for non-pregnant women, <110g/L for pregnant women and children) was 30.7% among women and 55.2% among children. In bivariate analyses, biomarkers significantly associated with anemia in women were ferritin, sTfR, RBP, EGRac, and ThDP. Other risk factors for women were lower BMI, mid-upper arm circumference