title: Bone mineral density and vitamin D status in children and adolescents with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and vitamin D deficiency in children and adolescents with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted on 30 girls and 22 boys with CAH (age range = 5-20 years) with median age of 12.0 years. BMD values of lumbar vertebras (L1-L4), which were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, were used to calculate z-scores according to chronological age. A serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of <15 ng/mL was considered as indicative of vitamin D deficiency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean vitamin D level was 14.8 ng/mL in the whole group. Twenty-seven (51.9%) children had vitamin D deficiency and it was more prevalent during pubertal ages. Vitamin D levels were found to be significantly lower in pubertal females. BMD z-score was below -1 standard deviation in 40.1% of cases with significantly higher mean age and lower vitamin D levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreased BMD z-score and vitamin D deficiency were common in these children with CAH. Vitamin D levels were significantly lower in girls and pubertal children. Decreased BMD z-score was related to older age and lower levels of vitamin D. Periodical controls of vitamin D status and vitamin D supplementation were recommended in these cases, whenever required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Ankara Children's Hematology and Oncology Training Hospital, Turkey. demirelf@gmail.com
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Demirel
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kara
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tepe
authors.forename: Ihsan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Esen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000312:Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital / Q000150:complications*; D015519:Bone Density; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D