Hypovitaminosis d and hypocalcemic seizures in infancy.
BACKGROUND
Hypocalcemia accounts for a majority of seizures in infants reporting to the emergency ward of our hospital.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of Vitamin D deficiency in the etiology of hypocalcemic seizures in infancy.


METHODS
Cross sectional hospital based study, from April 2006-March 2007.


METHODS
60 infants with hypocalcemic seizures and their mothers (study group) and 60 healthy breastfed infants with their lactating mothers (control group).


METHODS
Vitamin D [25(OH) D] and intact para-thormone levels.


RESULTS
High prevalence of hypovitaminosis D [25(OH)D levels <10 ng/mL] was observed in study mothers (85%), control mothers (50%), study infants (90%), and control infants (41.7%). Mean serum 25(OH) D values in study mothers and their infants (6.54 +/- 5.32 ng/mL and 4.92 +/- 4.62 ng/mL) were significantly lower than those of mother-infant pairs (9.06 +/- 4.78 ng/mL and 9.03 +/- 4.63 ng/mL) in the control group (P<0.001). A strong positive correlation of 25(OH) D levels between mothers and their infants was seen in both the study and control populations (P<0.001). Of the 54 study infants who had 25(OH)D levels <10 ng/mL, 48 (89%) were born to mothers who also had 25(OH) D levels <10 ng/mL.


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin D deficiency is a major cause of hypocalcemic seizures in infants. Infants born to vitamin D deficient mothers are at a significantly higher risk to develop hypocalcemic seizures.
Mehrotra
P
P
Department of Pediatrics, Kalawati Saran Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Marwaha
R K
RK
Aneja
S
S
Seth
Anju
A
Singla
B M
BM
Ashraf
Ganie
G
Sharma
B
B
Sastry
Aparna
A
Tandon
N
N
D001942:Breast Feeding; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology
D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium