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Vitamin D deficiency presenting with cardiogenic shock in an infant

Manish Kumar1, Diganta Saikia, Vishal Kumar

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, Geeta Colony, Delhi, India.

Annals of Pediatric Cardiology
|October 7, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Severe vitamin D deficiency caused hypocalcemia and dilated cardiomyopathy in an infant. This led to cardiogenic shock and multiorgan failure, highlighting hypocalcemia as a critical diagnosis in infants with heart conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Endocrinology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Dilated cardiomyopathy is a serious condition in infants, often presenting with cardiogenic shock.
  • Identifying the underlying cause is crucial for effective treatment and improved outcomes.

Observation:

  • A 2-month-old infant presented with dilated cardiomyopathy and cardiogenic shock.
  • Laboratory evaluation revealed severe hypocalcemia secondary to vitamin D deficiency.
  • No clinical or radiological signs of rickets were present.

Findings:

  • Severe vitamin D deficiency-induced hypocalcemia was the likely cause of dilated cardiomyopathy and cardiogenic shock in this infant.
  • The infant developed multiorgan failure and could not be saved despite intensive support.

Implications:

  • Hypocalcemia should be strongly considered in the differential diagnosis of infants presenting with dilated cardiomyopathy.
  • Early detection and management of vitamin D deficiency may prevent severe cardiac complications in infants.

Keywords:
Cardiogenic shockdilated cardiomyopathyhypocalcemiavitamin D deficiency

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