Bone mineralization in children and adolescents with a milk allergy.
To evaluate the correlation between dietary calcium intake and mineralization of the immature skeleton 55 children and adolescents aged 5-14 years (mean, 9.5 years) with a positive radioallergosorbent test (RAST) for serum antibodies to cow's milk protein were evaluated. Bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine and proximal femurs were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. BMD at each site for each subject was converted to an age-adjusted Z score based on our own series of 95 normal pediatric controls. Calcium intake was determined using a detailed food frequency questionnaire administered by a nutritionist during a 30-40-min interview. Dietary adjustments to the condition varied and resulted in a wide range of calcium intakes. Calcium supplements were taken by 22% of the subjects and were included in the determination of daily calcium intake. The group of 55 subjects was divided into quartiles based on calcium intake (mean +/- S.E mg calcium/day): Group 1, 409 +/- 21, Group 2, 663 +/- 16, Group 3, 950 +/- 32, Group 4, 1437 +/- 124. Bone density Z scores in the proximal femur serially increased across the calcium intake groups (mean +/- S.E.): Group 1, -0.16 +/- 0.31; Group 2, 0.05 +/- 0.33; Group 3, 0.44 +/- 0.24; Group 4, 0.79 +/- 0.41 (P = 0.03). A similar pattern was found with lumbar spine BMD Z scores: Group 1, -0.16 +/- 0.27; Group 2, 0.10 +/- 0.21; Group 3, 0.18 +/- 0.20; Group 4, 0.30 +/- 0.25 (P = 0.05). These data add further to the evidence that dietary calcium intake is important for optimal mineralization of the growing skeleton.
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7055.
R C
RC
Henderson
P R
PR
Hayes
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D001846:Bone Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D004032:Diet; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000502:physiology; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test
D002136:Calcium, Dietary