Benefits and Risks of Iron Interventions in Infants in Bangladesh

Abstract

To the Editor: The randomized, placebo-controlled trial Benefits and Risks of Iron Interventions in Young Children (BRISC) (September 9 issue)¹ showed that 3 months of iron supplementation in infants reduced the prevalence of anemia but did not improve infant development. Although the daily supplementation with 12.5 mg of elemental iron was consonant with guidelines from the World Health Organization, the increased rates of iron deficiency and anemia seemed higher in the infants who received iron than in those who received placebo, both before and after the subsequent iron-free follow-up period. Table 2 and Table S2 in the Supplementary Appendix indicated . . .