title: Rickets of premature infants induced by calcium deficiency. A case report.
abstract: Rickets of prematurity is not uncommon in neonatal intensive care units. Nutritional rickets in childhood is usually caused by vitamin D deficiency, but the rickets of prematurity is mainly attributable to calcium and phosphorus deficiencies. We present a premature infant with sequelae of necrotizing enterocolitis who needed prolonged administration of total parenteral nutrition (TPN), and who sustained ricketic fracture. After high calcium-fortified TPN supplementation the fracture healed well, and serum alkaline phosphatase dropped. This finding shows (1) serum calcium and phosphorus levels are of predictive value regarding rickets, (2) regular follow-ups of alkaline phosphatase levels combined with radiography in high-risk groups of premature infants are good tools for monitoring rickets, and (3) prolonged TPN administration needs to contain higher calcium and phosphorus concentrations in prematurity than in childhood.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000172:deficiency*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total / Q000009:adverse effects; D012279:Rickets / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium