title: Twice single doses of 100,000 IU of vitamin D in winter is adequate and safe for prevention of vitamin D deficiency in healthy children from Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina.
abstract: In order to improve vitamin D status of children from Ushuaia (55 degrees S), at the South of Argentina, double supplementation with 100.000 IU of vitamin D was administered at the beginning of winter (March 2004), and 3 months later during winter (June 2004). In 2004, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) was measured before the first supplementation, a month after, and 3 months after receiving the second supplementation (March, April and September). We studied 18 healthy children from Ushuaia, age (mean+/-S.D.) 7.3+/-4.4 years old (range 1.2-14.6), seven girls and 11 boys. Before treatment, serum 25OHD was 29.3+/-5.9 ng/ml. It increased significantly 1 month after the first supplementation (April): 35.3+/-4.4 ng/ml (p<0.001), and decreased significantly 3 months after the second supplementation: 22.4+/-4.6 ng/ml (September (p<0.001). No child was neither deficient (<10 ng/ml) nor insufficient (10-15 ng/ml) of vitamin D. On April, a month after the first supplementation, no children had vitamin D intoxication levels (>50 ng/ml). These results disclosed that to prevent vitamin D deficiency for children at zones of risk at the south of our country, double supplementation of 100,000 IU of vitamin D during autumn and winter, would be adequate and safe.
authors.affiliation: Metabolismo Cálcico y Oseo, Endocrinología, Hospital de Pediatría J.P. Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina. cristinatau@yahoo.com.ar
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tau
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ciriani
authors.forename: Edit
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scaiola
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Acuña
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001118:Argentina; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D010710:Phosphates; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium