Iron Deficiency in Preschool Children with Chronic Rhinitis

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Iron deficiency (ID) has been intricately linked with various inflammatory diseases. Chronic rhinitis stands as one of most common respiratory inflammation disorders in children. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of ID among preschool children with chronic rhinitis and to explore the association between ID and chronic rhinitis in this population. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This cross-sectional study included children aged 3 to 7 years diagnosed with chronic rhinitis. ID was defined as transferrin saturation <20%, with absolute ID being defined as ferritin <15 ng/mL. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with ID. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 72 children with chronic rhinitis were included, revealing a prevalence of ID of 47.2%. Only 5.9% children with ID exhibited absolute ID. Multivariate analysis revealed that neutrophils (odds ratio [OR] = 1.205, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.013-1.433, <i>P</i> = 0.035) and monocytes (OR = 1.803, 95% CI = 1.198-2.713, <i>P</i> = 0.005) were independently and significantly associated with ID. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> This study revealed a notable prevalence of ID in the preschool children with chronic rhinitis. The significant association between neutrophils and monocytes with ID implied an intricate involvement of innate immunity in the manifestation of ID.