Vitamin D Deficiency in Children Evaluated for Musculoskeletal Symptoms

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Presentation Number:888

Poster Board Number:120

Presentation Time:11/9/2007 8:00:00 AM

Title:Vitamin D Deficiency in Children Evaluated for Musculoskeletal

Symptoms

Category:11. Pediatric rheumatology clinical and therapeutic disease

Author(s): E. Dowd, Billie Jo Coomer. Michigan Arthritis Research

Center, Brighton, MI

Purpose: Levels of 25(OH)D associated with the lowest risks of osteoporosis,

lower extremity dysfunction, periodontal disease and colorectal cancer are

at or above the range of 36-40 ng/mL (Bischoff-Ferrari). The purpose of this

study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in all

children presenting to a community pediatric rheumatologist for outpatient

evaluation of musculoskeletal symptoms.

Methods: All patients between the ages of 0 and 18, seen between October

2004 and March 2007 at the Arthritis Institute of Michigan (AIM) were

identified by electronic database query using A4 Healtmatics EHR reporting.

As per institutional policy at the AIM all new and follow up patients as of

October 2004 had 25(OH)D levels, calcium and PTH ordered or drawn to

identify deficient patients. The major methods of measuring vitamin D

included the Diasorin method, HPLC with double diffusion and Quest

Laboratories immunoassay.

In addition to vitamin D levels, date of birth,

sex, weight and height at the time of the blood levels, date of blood draw

and diagnoses or presenting complaint were collected. Statistical analyses

included medians and means with confidence intervals for 25(OH)D levels

segregated by age, time of year and sex.

Results: Demographics are shown in Table 1.

There was no gender difference in average vitamin D levels.

Vitamin D distribution is shown in Table 2.

BMI did not correlate with 25 (OH)D.

Vitamin D levels segregated by season and age is shown in Table 3.

The Jan-Jun average was significantly lower than the Jul-Dec average

p=0.0003.

Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is very common in children being evaluated

for musculoskeletal complaints and should be measured routinely as part of

their evaluation.

Disclosures: J.E. Dowd, None.