51. Vitamin D deficiency in early infancy
- Author
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Hakan Doneray, Demet Toprak, Zerrin Orbak, Şükrü Hatun, Filiz Mine Çizmecioğlu, Ali S. Calikoglu, and Behzat Özkan
- Subjects
Male ,Pediatrics ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Turkey ,Population ,Breastfeeding ,Medicine (miscellaneous) ,vitamin D deficiency ,medicine ,Vitamin D and neurology ,Humans ,education ,Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ,Retrospective Studies ,Pregnancy ,education.field_of_study ,Nutrition and Dietetics ,business.industry ,Metabolic disorder ,Infant ,Retrospective cohort study ,medicine.disease ,Micronutrient ,Vitamin D Deficiency ,Female ,Seasons ,business ,Rickets - Abstract
We analyzed the characteristics of young infants diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency in early infancy at 2 medical centers in Turkey. In this retrospective cross-sectional study the clinical biochemical and radiographic findings of infants who were diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency at < 3 mo of age between May 2001 and May 2003 were reviewed. A total of 42 infants (27 boys and 15 girls) were diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency in the first 3 mo of life during this 2-y period. The age of infants at diagnosis was 60 ± 19 d (range 32–112 d). The majority (78.7%) presented with seizures. No skeletal deformities were detected clinically and radiological findings were subtle. All infants had low serum calcium levels but serum phosphorous levels varied. Eight infants (19.0%) had low 19 (45.3%) had normal and 15 (35.7%) had elevated serum phosphorous levels. Serum 25 -hydroxyvitamin D levels in those measured (29 infants and 15 mothers) were < 37.5 nmol/L. Most infants (83%) were exclusively breast-fed without supplemental vitamin D and none of the mothers were supplemented with vitamin D during pregnancy. All mothers had limited sunlight exposure and 33 of 42 mothers (78.6%) wore concealing clothing. The majority of young infants diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency present with seizures have low dietary vitamin D intake and mothers with poor vitamin D reserves. Evaluation of vitamin D status should be included into the workup of hypocalcemia in early infancy. Prevention of deficiency by supplementing pregnant women and infants who are exclusively breast-fed is essential. (authors)
- Published
- 2005