Latent Iron Deficiency at Birth Clinical Trial
Official title:
Latent Iron Deficiency at Birth Influences Auditory Neural Maturation in Late Preterm and Term Infants
This study evaluates auditory neural maturation by auditory brainstem evoked response in late preterm and term infants with in utero iron deficiency compared with neonates with normal in utero iron status.
Iron is an essential nutrient for brain development. During early human development, iron is
required for multiple neurodevelopmental processes. To meet the iron requirements of a
developing brain, active transfer of iron occurs across the placenta during the last
trimester of pregnancy and therefore most term infants have iron replete status at birth.
However, maternal iron deficiency during pregnancy, a global health problem, can negatively
affect the fetal iron status. In addition, prematurity, maternal diabetes mellitus,
preeclampsia, maternal smoking, and intrauterine growth restriction during pregnancy have
also been associated with decreased iron transfer to the fetus often leading to in utero
iron deficiency.
Cord serum ferritin (SF) level at birth provides a good measurement of fetal tissue iron
storage concentration and is therefore often used to evaluate in utero iron status. The
absolute and interpeak latencies on auditory brainstem evoked response (ABR) are often used
as surrogate outcome measures for neural maturation in the neonates. The absolute latencies
for each of these ABR waves and the interpeak latencies (IPL, I-III, III-V, and I-V) are
influenced by the degree of myelination, neuronal development, synaptic function, and axonal
growth in the auditory nervous system. The absolute latencies and IPL decrease as the
auditory neural system matures with age in neonates.
Although iron is essential for auditory neural maturation during the perinatal period, there
is a paucity of data regarding the concomitant effect of in utero iron deficiency on
auditory neural maturation in late preterm and term infants. The present prospective study
is planned with an objective to determine the association of in utero iron deficiency as
evaluated by cord ferritin with auditory neural maturation at birth in ≥ 34 weeks GA
infants.
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Observational Model: Cohort, Time Perspective: Prospective