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Effect of the Baseline Vitamin D Level on Growth Outcome in Pediatric Crohn Disease
Eun Joo Lee1, Jin Soo Moon1, Jae Sung Ko1
1Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Vitamin D deficiency is common in pediatric Crohn disease (CD). Lower vitamin D levels were linked to poorer growth outcomes, while higher levels showed significant improvements in weight and BMI over 12 months.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Endocrinology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in pediatric Crohn disease (CD).
- Assessing vitamin D status is crucial for managing growth in these patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Korean pediatric CD patients.
- To investigate the association between vitamin D status and growth outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 17 pediatric CD patients (2011-2015).
- Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25[OH]D) levels categorized into <10 ng/mL (Group 1) and 10-30 ng/mL (Group 2).
- Growth parameters (height, weight, BMI z-scores) tracked over 12 months.
Main Results:
- Mean serum 25[OH]D was 13.1±5.1 ng/mL in enrolled patients.
- No initial correlation between vitamin D levels and growth parameters or disease activity.
- Group 1 showed no significant growth improvement; Group 2 demonstrated significant weight and BMI improvement by 12 months.
Conclusions:
- Baseline vitamin D status significantly impacts growth outcomes in pediatric CD.
- Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels may be essential for improving growth in these patients.
Purpose:
Vitamin D deficiency is common in Crohn disease (CD). The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and evaluate the association between vitamin D status and growth outcome in Korean pediatric CD patients.
Methods:
In this retrospective study, 17 children younger than 18 years old diagnosed with CD were enrolled and their serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25[OH]D) was checked between 2011 and 2015. We categorized the patients into two groups, Group 1 and Group 2. Group 1 included patients with serum 25(OH)D levels below 10 ng/mL, and Group 2 was for patients with a 25(OH)D serum levels between 10 ng/mL and 30 ng/mL. The z-scores for height (Htz), weight (Wtz), and body mass index (BMIz) were measured at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months.
Results:
The mean serum 25(OH)D levels of the total 65 CD patients and 17 enrolled patients were 15.64±6.9 ng/mL and 13.1±5.1 ng/mL, respectively. There was no correlation at the beginning of the study between vitamin D level and growth parameters (Htz, Wtz, BMIz) or other variables including laboratory data and Pediatric Crohn Disease Activity Index. The Htz, Wtz, and BMIz in Group 1 showed no significant improvement at 6 months and 12 months follow-up. In Group 2, Wtz and BMIz showed significant improvements sustained until 12 months of follow-up. Htz showed no significant improvement at 6 months but there was significant improvement at 12 months.
Conclusion:
It seems that baseline vitamin D status affects growth outcome in pediatric CD.
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