Key result
Iron supplementation eliminates severe breath-holding spells and increases sleep HRV in 3 children.
Why the study?
Dysregulation of autonomic nervous system reflexes in children with severe cyanotic breath-holding spells and the effect of iron treatment were not well characterized.
Does iron treatment improve autonomic nervous system function and clinical symptoms in children with severe cyanotic breath-holding spells?
Case Report (n=3)
Does iron treatment improve autonomic nervous system function and clinical symptoms in children with severe cyanotic breath-holding spells?
Iron supplementation appears effective in improving autonomic nervous system dysregulation and eliminating severe cyanotic breath-holding spells in children.
May support iron in refractory breath-holding spells; hypothesis-generating for autonomic effects and requires controlled trials.
To evaluate the autonomic nervous system of patients with breath-holding spells after iron treatment, we attempted to determine whether a dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system reflexes exists in children with severe cyanotic breathholding spells. An electrocardiogram for each subject was recorded for 24 hours in the subject's home and parasympathetic activity was investigated by the fast Fourier transform method. Hematologic data and clinical symptoms of all three patients treated with iron improved and attacks of severe breath-holding spells disappeared. After iron treatment was started, the heart rate variability increased during sleep. It appears that supplementation of iron is effective in improving the dysregulation of autonomic nervous system reflexes.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Orii et al. (2002) conducted a case report in severe cyanotic breath-holding spells (n=3). Iron was evaluated on clinical symptoms, attacks of severe breath-holding spells, and heart rate variability. Iron supplementation eliminated attacks of severe breath-holding spells and increased heart rate variability during sleep in three children.
Synapse has enriched 4 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: