title: [Vitamin D status of children and adolescents of African and Asian diplomats in Germany].
abstract: Vitamin D-deficiency has been observed among immigrant children with rickets and osteomalacia in Western Europe. So vitamin D-status in 34 children and juveniles (17 girls, 17 boys) of African and Asian diplomats staying in West Germany only for a certain time is examined. During summer 1989 plasma levels of alkaline phosphatase, calcium, phosphate, 25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol is measured. According to their native country the subjects are divided into three groups: I North Africa (n = 7), II Central Africa (n = 18), III Asia (n = 9). No clinical signs of rickets or osteomalacia are detected. All plasma levels of calcium and phosphate are in the normal range so as most of the values of the alkaline phosphatase. In Group I 85.7% (n = 6), group II 77.8% (n = 14) and group III 44.4% (n = 4) have decreased values of 25-OHD whereas most strikingly elevated amounts of 1,25-OH2D are measured in 57.1% (n = 4) of the subjects in group I, 66.7% (n = 12) in group II and 11.1% (n = 1) in group III. Normal values for both 25-OHD and 1,25-OH2D are rare: one case (11.1%) in group I, no case in group II, four cases (44.4%) in group III. The influence of the time staying in West Germany on vitamin D-status, a possible dietary lack due to inadequate nutrition, the role of skin pigmentation and a potential genetic abnormality of vitamin D-metabolism is discussed to explain the results.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Kinderheilkunde, Universität Bonn.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Burmeister
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D014807:Vitamin D; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium
vernacular_title: Vitamin D-Status bei afrikanischen und asiatischen Diplomatenkindern und -Jugendlichen in Deutschland.