In the United States, 12% of all women of childbearing age have iron deficiency, compared with only 2% of adult men. The incidence is as high as 20% among African American and Mexican American women. Studies have shown iron deficiency without anemia causes poor school performance and lower IQ in teenage girls, although this may be due to socioeconomic factors. Iron deficiency is the most prevalent deficiency state on a worldwide basis. It is sometimes the cause of abnormal fissuring of the angular (corner) sections of the lips (angular stomatitis). In the United States, the most common cause of iron deficiency is bleeding or blood loss, usually from the gastrointestinal tract. Fecal occult blood testing, upper endoscopy and lower endoscopy should be performed to identify bleeding lesions. In older men and women, the chances are higher that bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract could be due to colon polyps or colorectal cancer. Worldwide, the most common cause of iron deficiency anemia is parasitic infestation (hookworms, amebiasis, schistosomiasis and whipworms).The Mentzer index (mean cell volume divided by the RBC count) predicts whether microcytic anemia may be due to iron deficiency or thalassemia, although it requires confirmation. Macrocytic
Megaloblastic anemia, the most common cause of macrocytic anemia, is due to a deficiency of either vitamin B12, folic acid, or both. Deficiency in folate or vitamin B12 can be due either to inadequate intake or insufficient absorption. Folate deficiency normally does not produce neurological symptoms, while B12 deficiency does.
Nager acrofacial dysostosis, also known as Nager syndrome, is a genetic disorder which displays several or all of the following characteristics: underdevelopment of the cheek and jaw area, down-sloping of the opening of the eyes, lack or absence of the lower eyelashes, kidney or stomach reflux, hammer toes, shortened soft palate, lack of development of the internal and external ear, possible cleft palate, underdevelopment or absence of the thumb, hearing loss (see hearing loss with craniofacial syndromes) and shortened forearms, as well as poor movement in the elbow, and may be characterized by accessory tragi. Occasionally, affected individuals develop vertebral anomalies such as scoliosis. The inheritance pattern is autosomal, but there are arguments as to whether it is autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive. Most cases tend to be sporadic. Nager syndrome shares many characteristics with five other craniofacial syndromes: Miller, Treacher Collins, Pierre Robin, Genee–Wiedemann and Franceschetti–Zwahlen–Klein. Genetics
While Nager syndrome is thought to be most often caused by haploinsufficiency of the spliceosomal factor SF3B4, in over one third of patients tested, the SF3B4 mutation is not found. Genetic sequencing shows that the syndrome can be caused by either autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant inheritance. Treatment
Due to craniofacial development, it is recommended that families work closely with craniofacial specialists as soon as Nager is recognized or suspected. Children born with Nager may need intubation immediately after birth, requiring tube feeding and a tracheotomy tube to help with breathing. Surgical intervention is commonly necessary to increase mandibular mobility.