This systematic review indicates that iron supplementation increases  Hb levels in children significantly but modestly .
The increase is greater in subjects who are anaemic at the start of the trial and lower in malarial hyperendemic areas and in those consuming iron-fortified food .
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of iron supplementation on  haemoglobin ( Hb ) in children through a systematic review of r and omised controlled trials .
The effect of riboflavin on the hematologic changes in iron supplementation of schoolchildren.
A supplementation trial was carried out in 101 children , 6 - 12 years of age , in 3 primary schools in a rural area . Their hemoglobin level and PCV ( mean + /- SD ) were 11.64 + /- 1.21 g/dl and 0.356 + /- 0.028 respectively , 74 % of them were anemic and the hemoglobin level were correlated with the MCHC ( P < .01 ) . Fifty-one per cent of them had hookworm infection and all those with hemoglobin levels below 10 g/dl had hookworm infection , but there was no difference in mean hemoglobin level between those with hookworm infection and those without . The children were divided into 3 groups : Group I comprising 39 children who received placebo tablest ; Group II of 33 , who received ferrous sulphate ( 60 mg elemental iron ) ; Group III of 29 , who received ferrous sulphate ( 60 mg elemental iron ) with riboflavin ( 6 mg ) . Each child received one tablet after lunch on schooldays and evaluation was carried out after receiving 80 to 90 tablets . The mean hemoglobin change of Group II was 0.60 g/dl larger than that of Group I ( P < .005 ) with 52 % of them responding to iron . The mean hemoglobin change of Group III was 0.38 g/dl larger than that of Group II ( P < .005 ) with 86 % of them responding to iron and riboflavin . Thus additional riboflavin is beneficial in iron supplementation
This systematic review indicates that iron supplementation increases  Hb levels in children significantly but modestly .
The increase is greater in subjects who are anaemic at the start of the trial and lower in malarial hyperendemic areas and in those consuming iron-fortified food .
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of iron supplementation on  haemoglobin ( Hb ) in children through a systematic review of r and omised controlled trials .