Intestinal Mucosa in Children with Geophagia and Iron‐Deficiency Anaemia

Twenty-one patients between the ages of 3 1/2 and 16 years, with geophagia and iron deficiency anaemia were investigated by d-Xylose absorption, glucose tolerance tests and oral intestinal biopsy, in addition to routine haematological studies. Two subjects had flat glucose tolerance curves and one had abnormal d-Xylose absorption whereas 13 showed evident but slight histologic changes compatible with malabsorption. Oral iron treatment and a normal diet corrected both the anaemia and the abnormal mucosal histology.