Vitamin d status during winter months among children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis living in southern Russia

Abstract

The article presents the results of vitamin D tests in children with cystic fibrosis and in healthy children living in the South of Russia. The study showed the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and inadequate levels in patients with cystic fibrosis (86.7%). 25(OH) D level characterizing the vitamin D status decreases progressively in patients and healthy children. With regard to the above mentioned, it is significantly lower in patients with cystic fibrosis than in healthy children in all age periods. The correlation between the serum calcidiol level and the age of patients with cystic fibrosis was r = -0.44 (p = 0.015). Intake of prophylactic (500--1000 IU/day) and therapeutic (1500--3000 IU/day) doses of cholecalciferol results in a less significant increase in calcidiol levels in patients with cystic fibrosis compared with healthy children. A significantly lower 25(OH)D level was detected in patients with cystic fibrosis infected with Staph. aureus. The 25(OH)D levels are significantly lower in children with cystic fibrosis and hypocholesterolemia, than in patients with normal cholesterol levels. Risk factors for the development of severe hypovitaminosis D in children with cystic fibrosis are age, physical developmental delay, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, presence of chronic Staph. Aureus bronchopulmonary infection. Given the conducted study, the dosage of cholecalciferol in patients with cystic fibrosis should be at least 2 times higher than that in healthy children.

Keywords

• vitamin d
• cystic fibrosis
• metabolism
• hypovitaminosis d
• 25(oh)d
• pancreatic insufficiency