Interrelation of Rickets and Iron Deficiency Anemia in Children: Clinical and Pathogenetic Analysis

Abstract

Rickets and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) remain among the most prevalent nutritional and metabolic disorders of early childhood worldwide, and their frequent coexistence has become an area of growing clinical interest. Both conditions share overlapping periods of vulnerability during infancy, when rapid skeletal growth, brain development, and erythropoiesis place high demands on micronutrient reserves that are often insufficiently met. This article analyzes the interrelationship between rickets and IDA, their shared prenatal and postnatal risk factors, and the mutual pathogenetic mechanisms linking vitamin D and iron metabolism, including effects on intestinal absorption, immune regulation, and hematopoiesis. According to the study results, IDA occurs 2–3 times more frequently in children with rickets than in children without skeletal involvement, reflecting the biological interdependence of these two micronutrient pathways. Maternal iron deficiency anemia (62%) and vitamin D deficiency (85.1%) during pregnancy were identified as the main risk factors for the development of rickets and IDA in offspring, underscoring the importance of maternal nutritional status for long-term infant health. The coexistence of these two conditions adversely affects children's physical growth, neurocognitive development, and immune competence; therefore, comprehensive treatment and prevention strategies that address both deficiencies simultaneously are of considerable clinical and public health importance.