Objective: To investigate hematologic variables related to iron deficiency and food intake in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Method: The sample comprised 62 children and adolescents (6-15 years old) divided into three groups: Group 1: 19 (30.6%) patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder using methylphenidate for 3 months; Group 2: 22 (35.5%) patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder who were methylphenidate naive and Group 3: 21 (33.9%) patients without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Serum iron, ferritin, transferrin, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, red cell distribution width, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, nutritional diagnostic parameters - Body Mass Index Coefficient, food surveys were evaluated among the groups.
Results: The attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder group drug naive for methylphenidate presented the highest red cell distribution width among the three groups (p = 0.03). For all other hematologic and food survey variables, no significant differences were found among the groups. No significant correlation between dimensional measures of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and ferritin levels was found in any of the three groups.
Conclusion: Peripheral markers of iron status and food intake of iron do not seem to be modified in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, but further studies assessing brain iron levels are needed to fully understand the role of iron in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder pathophysiology.