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Vitamin D in infants with cystic fibrosis diagnosed by newborn screening

Liza A Neville1, Sarath C Ranganathan

  • 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne Vic., Australia.

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
|February 12, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Vitamin D deficiency is common in infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) at diagnosis. Supplementation improves vitamin D levels over time, though initial deficiencies in vitamins A and E are linked to pancreatic insufficiency.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Cystic Fibrosis Research
  • Nutritional Biochemistry

Background:

  • Newborn screening identifies infants with cystic fibrosis (CF), enabling early detection of nutritional deficiencies.
  • While vitamin E deficiency is rare in older CF patients, vitamin D status at diagnosis and its relation to other fat-soluble vitamins are not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine vitamin D status in infants diagnosed with CF via newborn screening.
  • To investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and other fat-soluble vitamins (A and E), sex, birth month, and pancreatic status at diagnosis.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of vitamin levels in infants diagnosed with CF over a 5-year period.
  • Measurement of vitamin D using radioimmunoassay and vitamins A and E using high-performance liquid chromatography.
  • Statistical assessment of associations between vitamin D levels and demographic/clinical factors.

Main Results:

  • Of 58 infants diagnosed, 30 had initial vitamin D levels assessed. Deficiencies were noted in 37% for vitamin D, 16% for vitamin E, and 60% for vitamin A.
  • Vitamin D levels were not associated with sex, birth month, or pancreatic status, but were unrelated to vitamin A or E levels.
  • Infants with pancreatic insufficiency had significantly lower vitamin A and E levels. Vitamin D levels improved with supplementation over time.

Conclusions:

  • Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in infants newly diagnosed with CF via newborn screening.
  • Initial vitamin D deficiency is not linked to pancreatic status or low vitamin E levels.
  • Vitamin D levels improve with treatment, indicating the effectiveness of supplementation strategies.
Abstract

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