Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34828748›Full record

ReviewChildren (Basel, Switzerland)2021

Evaluation of Serum and Salivary Iron and Ferritin Levels in Children with Dental Caries: A Meta-Analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis.

Roohollah Sharifi, Mohammad Farid Tabarzadi, Parsia Choubsaz, Masoud Sadeghi, Jyothi Tadakamadla, Serge Brand, Dena Sadeghi-Bahmani

Open access · goldAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Children (Basel, Switzerland), 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Association Between Iron Deficiency Anemia and Dental Caries in Children: A Systematic Umbrella Meta-Analysis.Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 5 institutions in 4 countries.

Roohollah SharifiDepartment of Endodontics, School of Dentistry, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah 6713954658, Iran.
Mohammad Farid TabarzadiStudents Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah 6715847141, Iran.
Parsia ChoubsazDepartment of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1983963113, Iran.
Masoud SadeghiDepartment of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran 1477893855, Iran.ORCID 0000-0002-3586-3012
Jyothi TadakamadlaSchool of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4222, Australia.
Serge BrandSleep Disorders Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah 6719851115, Iran.ORCID 0000-0003-2175-2765
Dena Sadeghi-BahmaniSleep Disorders Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah 6719851115, Iran.
Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences · IRUniversity of Basel · CHGriffith University · AUIslamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch · IRShahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences · IR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectiveDental caries appears to be related to iron deficiency anemia and to low ferritin levels. In the present meta-analysis, we report salivary and serum iron and ferritin levels in children with dental caries, compared to healthy controls. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe searched in Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and PubMed/Medline databases to extract studies published until 25 July 2021. We calculated mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of salivary and serum iron and ferritin levels in children with dental caries, always compared to healthy controls. In addition, we applied a trial sequential analysis (TSA).

resultsA total of twelve articles covering thirteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled MD for salivary iron level was -5.76 µg/dL (

conclusionsThe findings of the present meta-analysis showed that salivary levels of iron and ferritin did not differ between children with and without caries, though compared to healthy controls, children with caries had significantly lower salivary and serum iron and ferritin levels. The results are of practical and clinical importance: Possibly, iron and ferritin supplementation might prevent or attenuate dental caries in children at risk. Further, children with caries might suffer from further iron- and ferritin-related health issues. Lastly, serum blood samples, but not saliva samples inform accurately about the current iron and ferritin concentrations in children with or without caries.

Indexed as

dental cariesferritinironmeta-analysissalivaserum

Identifiers

PMID34828748
PMCPMC8625931
OpenAlexW3214301694

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.