title: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in thalassaemia.
abstract: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured in 36 thalassaemic children and 27 controls aged 5-15 years. Blood specimens were collected from the beginning of April until the end of October 1976. We considered as the winter period the first 3 months and the summer period the last 4 months. We found that (a) thalassaemic children had lower levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D than controls: (b) there was a seasonal variation of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in both groups; and (c) the thalassaemic children had malabsorption of vitamin D. We suggest that the bone lesions in thalassaemic children are related to vitamin D deficiency.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols