Publication:

Study of serum folate and ferritin levels in patients of infantile tremor syndrome

Background Infantile tremor syndrome (ITS) is a very common clinical entity. The etiology of ITS remains obscure. Various hypothesis has been proposed including vitamin B12 deficiency. But it remains to be seen whether there are other contributory factors also. So, this study was conducted to study serum folate levels, serum ferritin levels and type of anemia in patients with infantile tremor syndrome.

Methods The study was a prospective study carried out in the inpatients of department of pediatrics, SSG hospital. Those patients who had clinical features of infantile tremor syndrome but had not received any hematinics or blood transfusion in the past were included in the study. A total of 40 patients were studied. These patients were studied according to the set proforma and were subjected to routine hematological investigations like complete blood count, peripheral smear, blood indices, CRP and serum ferritin and folate levels.

Results Anemia of varying degree was present in all the patients. None of the patients showed low serum folate levels. Serum ferritin levels were low in 2 patients (5%).

Conclusions Folic acid deficiency does not occur and play any role in the etiology of ITS. Iron deficiency is seen in a very small proportion of patients with ITS.