Iron profile in children with ADHD

Background: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting attention and behavior, leading to academic, social, and professional challenges. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) has been suggested to play a role in exacerbating ADHD symptoms, particularly inattention, due to its impact on dopamine synthesis and brain function. Studies have shown that children with ADHD often have lower iron levels, which may contribute to the severity of their symptoms. The aim of this study was to Investigate the iron profile (parameters) in children with ADHD. Subjects and methods: This study was case control study evaluate the iron profile on the ADHD symptoms in children and the effect of iron deficiency on ADHD symptoms, it included 100 children, they were recruited from Pediatric Neuro psychiatric Outpatient Clinic of Minia University Hospital for Children and 100 controls with matched age and sex, CBC and the iron profile were done for all studied children, ADHD symptoms were evaluated by Conners parent rating scale. Results: significantly lower serum iron levels, Serum ferritin levels, transferrin saturation and hemoglobin levels were found in ADHD children than controls., while Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC) was significantly higher in the former than the later. Further analysis demonstrated a negative correlation between serum iron level and ADHD symptom severity, particularly regarding inattention symptoms. Conclusion: Children with ADHD had lower ferritin,serum iron levels than controls, indicating potentially suboptimal iron status of them. These findings suggest a need for further evaluation as iron deficiency could affect both neurodevelopment and ADHD symptoms.