Clay Ingestion and Iron Deficiency Anemia

Letters and Corrections1 September 1982Clay Ingestion and Iron Deficiency AnemiaWILLIAM H. CROSBY, M.D.WILLIAM H. CROSBY, M.D.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-97-3-456_1 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the editor: Gonzalez and associates (1) in their brief report on clay ingestion as the cause of severe hypokalemia in a young woman claim that clay ingestion also caused the patient's iron deficiency anemia.It is well established that pica, the compulsive eating of something—in this case clay—is a consequence, not the cause of iron deficiency (2, 3). This report shows the clinical dangers in the authors' misconception. The true cause of the iron-deficiency anemia was not sought. The authors do not state whether stool specimens were examined for blood loss, even in the presence of a hiatus hernia....References1. GONZALEZOWENSUNGAROWERKWENTZ JWPEP. Clay ingestion: a rare cause of hypokalemia. Arch Intern Med. 1982;97:65-6. AbstractGoogle Scholar2. COLTMAN C. Pagophagia and iron lack. JAMA. 1969;207:513-6. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. CROSBY W. Pica. JAMA. 1976;235:2765. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byA rare case of hypokalaemia and hypophosphataemia secondary to geophagiaGeophagic materials: the possible effects of their chemical composition on human healthInvoluntary soil ingestion and geophagia: A source and sink of mineral nutrients and potentially harmful elements to consumers of earth materialsEffects of iron and multimicronutrient supplementation on geophagy: a two-by-two factorial study among Zambian schoolchildren in LusakaPhenomenology of PicaPica: Symptom or Eating Disorder? A Historical AssessmentCultural and medical perspectives on geophagiaPica and iron-deficiency anaemiaMaternal nutrition and infant mortality rates: An evaluation of the bourgeoisie of 18th‐century montbéliardEditor's MailNausea and vomiting and dietary cravings and aversions during pregnancy in South African womenIron Deficiency and PicaJORGE J. GONZALEZ, M.D. 1 September 1982Volume 97, Issue 3Page: 456-456KeywordsBloodEatingHerniaIngestionIron deficiencyIron deficiency anemia Issue Published: 1 September 1982 PDF downloadLoading ...