title: Studies on vitamin D metabolism in malnourished children.
abstract: 1. Basal levels of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OHD) were estimated in ten normal children and twenty-seven children with protein-energy malnutrition. 2. Five normal children and fourteen malnourished children were administered a single massive dose of 15 mg vitamin D orally and the remaining children received oral supplements of 50 micrograms vitamin D daily for 20 d. Blood samples were obtained after 10 and 20 d of dosing and serum 25-OHD levels were repeated. 3. The basal serum 25-OHD levels were significantly lower (P less than 0.05) in malnourished children than in normal children. 4. Administration of a single massive dose of vitamin D as well as daily supplementation of small doses resulted in significant increases in serum 25-OHD levels within 10 d. However, the increase with a massive dose was of a higher magnitude. There was no significant difference between the normal and malnourished children. 5. The binding capacity of serum to 25-OHD was similar in both the groups. 6. These results suggest that vitamin D metabolism is not altered in protein-energy malnutrition.
mesh_terms: D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002112:Calcifediol; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D011485:Protein Binding; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000097:blood*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D014807:Vitamin D; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D002112:Calcifediol