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Published on: January 26, 2019
[Rickets prophylaxis under current recommendations]
Anna Borkowska1, Joanna Tyl, Katarzyna Plata-Nazar
1Klinika Pediatrii, Gastroenterologii i Onkologii, Dziecieca Akademia Medyczna, 80-803 Gdańsk, Poland.
Insights
Overdosing of vitamin D3 in infants is common in Poland, with many rickets diagnoses lacking clinical or laboratory confirmation. More careful vitamin D3 prescribing is recommended for rickets prevention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Context:
- Current rickets prevention strategies in Poland were evaluated.
- Infant hospitalizations due to emergency issues provided a study group.
- Medical histories focused on rickets prophylaxis and infant feeding patterns.
Purpose:
- To analyze compliance with existing rickets prevention recommendations.
- To assess the accuracy of rickets diagnoses in infants.
- To provide evidence-based recommendations for vitamin D3 prescription.
Summary:
- A study of 65 hospitalized infants revealed that 70% received overdosed vitamin D3.
- 14% of infants were previously diagnosed with rickets, but this was not supported by clinical or laboratory findings.
- Rickets is frequently overdiagnosed, often based on isolated craniotabes.
Impact:
- Highlights potential risks associated with current vitamin D3 dosing practices.
- Suggests a need for improved diagnostic criteria for rickets in infants.
- Recommends more judicious prescription of vitamin D3 to align with evolving rickets prevention guidelines.
Aim Of The Study:
We analysed the compliance of current recommendations concerning rickets prevention in Poland.
Material And Methods:
The study group consisted of 65 infants hospitalised because of emergency problems. In each case, the medical history included prophylaxis of rickets and feeding pattern. In most cases (80%) we measured calcium, phosphate, and alkaline phosphatase in the serum.
Results:
Vitamin D3 was overdosed in 70% of infants. 14% of children were diagnosed as rachitic in outpatient department before hospitalisation, but neither the clinical symptoms nor the laboratory test confirmed the diagnosis. This confirms the observation, that rickets is diagnosed too often, usually on the basis of isolated craniotabes in young infants.
Conclusion:
In the context of changing recommendations for prophylaxis of rickets, we recommend more careful prescribing of vitamin D3 preparations.
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