Serum Ferritin Levels Are Lower in Children With Tic Disorders Compared with Children Without Tics: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Alteration in peripheral iron indices has been reported in a number of movement disorders, particularly Parkinson's disease. We hypothesized that iron stores may be diminished in children at an early stage of tic disorder.

Using data retrieved from electronic medical records, we compared serum ferritin levels, an indicator of body iron store balance, in drug-naive children diagnosed for the first time with tic disorder (study group; N = 47, 32 boys/15 girls, aged 8.66 ± 3.17 years) compared to age- and sex-matched children with headaches (comparison group, n = 100, 62 boys/38 girls, aged 9.51 ± 3.15 years) treated in the same pediatric neurological clinic.

Mean serum ferritin levels were significantly lower (-32%, p = 0.01) in the tic disorder group compared to the headache group. No significant differences were detected in circulatory hemoglobin, iron, transferrin, and platelet count between the two groups.

Our findings suggest that body iron stores may be reduced in children with recent-onset tic disorder.