Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D and rickets in infants of extremely low birthweight.

Abstract

Rickets is now a well-known entity in infants of very low birthweight. In a 1-year period (1981) 8 of 15 neonatal survivors whose birthweight was less than 1000 g (extremely low birthweight) developed rickets despite high supplementation with ergo-calciferol, 2000 units a day. At the time of radiological diagnosis their postnatal age was 8 (range 5-14) weeks, and they all had normal or high plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (mean 80 nmol/l, range 40-160 nmol/l). Although 4 infants received alfacalcidol which healed the rickets, in 4 infants the rickets healed spontaneously without change in treatment. The results suggest that inadequate vitamin D supplementation is not the cause of rickets in such infants.

• Authors: N McIntosh, A Livesey, O G Brooke
• Journal: Archives of disease in childhood (Arch Dis Child) Vol. 57 Issue 11 Pg. 848-50 (Nov 1982) ISSN: 1468-2044 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 6983328 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Ergocalciferols
• 25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2
• Phosphorus
• Alkaline Phosphatase
• Calcium

Topics

• 25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2
• Alkaline Phosphatase (blood)
• Calcium (blood)
• Ergocalciferols (analogs & derivatives, blood)
• Humans
• Infant, Low Birth Weight
• Infant, Newborn
• Infant, Newborn, Diseases (blood)
• Phosphorus (blood)
• Rickets (blood, etiology)