Clinical characteristics and prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in children less than two years of age.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical characteristics of vitamin D deficiency and its association with iron deficiency anemia (IDA).


METHODS
A total of 171 children aged less than two years underwent 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) tests between January 2007 and July 2009. The study was classified into two groups: normal and vitamin D insufficiency, by their vitamin 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) levels.


RESULTS
In total, 120 children were in the normal group (mean age, body weight and heights 12.5±7.0, 9.3±0.9 kg and 76.8±1.1 cm), and 51 children in the vitamin D insufficiency group (9.9±5.4 months, 9.0±0.9 kg and 75.1±0.9 cm). Vitamin D insufficiency was most commonly diagnosed in the spring (44%). The proportion of complete breast-feeding was higher in the insufficiency (92%), and 25.5% of the children in the deficient group also experienced IDA compared that 12% of normal group. Ten children in the insufficiency group experienced bony changes. Six children received calcitriol medication in the normal group, in whom the mean vitamin 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) level increased from 39.6±14.6 ng/mL (pre-medication) to 41.8±17.2 ng/mL (post-medication), and 13 in the insufficiency group, in whom the mean vitamin 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) increased from 20.7±7.0 ng/mL to a mean post-treatment level of 43.7±23.8 ng/mL.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that approximately 30% of children aged ≤2 years experienced vitamin D insufficiency associated with subclinical rickets. Many children also experienced concurrent IDA. Guidelines for vitamin D supplement in such children must therefore be established.
Department of Pediatrics, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Ji Hyun
JH
Yoon
Cheong Soo
CS
Park
Ji Young
JY
Seo
Yun Sun
YS
Choi
Young Min
YM
Ahn