Korean J Pediatr.  2011 Jul;54(7):298-303. 10.3345/kjp.2011.54.7.298.

Clinical characteristics and prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in children less than two years of age

• Yoon JH
• Park CS
• Seo JY
• Choi YS
• Ahn YM

• KMID: 2284854
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3345/kjp.2011.54.7.298

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the clinical characteristics of vitamin D deficiency and its association with iron deficiency anemia (IDA).
METHODS
A total of 171 children aged less than two years underwent 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 tests between January 2007 and July 2009. The study was classified into two groups: normal and vitamin D insufficiency, by their vitamin 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels.
RESULTS
In total, 120 children were in the normal group (mean age, body weight and heights 12.5+/-7.0, 9.3+/-0.9 kg and 76.8+/-1.1 cm), and 51 children in the vitamin D insufficiency group (9.9+/-5.4 months, 9.0+/-0.9 kg and 75.1+/-0.9 cm). Vitamin D insufficiency was most commonly diagnosed in the spring (44%). The proportion of complete breast-feeding was higher in the insufficiency (92%), and 25.5% of the children in the deficient group also experienced IDA compared that 12% of normal group. Ten children in the insufficiency group experienced bony changes. Six children received calcitriol medication in the normal group, in whom the mean vitamin 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 level increased from 39.6+/-14.6 ng/mL (pre-medication) to 41.8+/-17.2 ng/mL (post-medication), and 13 in the insufficiency group, in whom the mean vitamin 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 increased from 20.7+/-7.0 ng/mL to a mean post-treatment level of 43.7+/-23.8 ng/mL.
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrated that approximately 30% of children aged < or =2 years experienced vitamin D insufficiency associated with subclinical rickets. Many children also experienced concurrent IDA. Guidelines for vitamin D supplement in such children must therefore be established.

Keyword

Vitamin D deficiency; insufficiency; Child; Rickets; Anemia; Iron

MeSH Terms

Aged
Anemia
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency
Body Weight
Calcifediol
Calcitriol
Child
Humans
Iron
Prevalence
Rickets
Vitamin D
Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamins
Calcifediol
Calcitriol
Iron
Vitamin D
Vitamins