Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of Nigerian Children With Nutritional Rickets and Healthy Control Childrena
| Rachitic children | Control children | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristic | Vitamin D2 (n = 16) | Vitamin D3 (n = 12) | Vitamin D2 (n = 11) | Vitamin D3 (n = 10) | Reference range |
| Age (months) | 31 (15–48)b | 71 (23–120) | 39 (22–57) | 31 (19–59) | |
| Sex (M:F) | 9:7 | 4:8 | 5:6 | 5:5 | |
| Duration of symptoms (months) | 14 (0.1–34)b | 41 (5–102) | |||
| Radiographic score | 4.0 (2.0–10.0)b | 1.6 (1.5–7.0) | 0 (normal XR) | ||
| Exposure to sunlight (h/day) | 0.9 (0–12) | 3.8 (0.5–5) | 5.0 (0.5–10) | 5.0 (2–6) | |
| Exposed skin (%) | 47 (43–57) | 50 (43–57) | 47 (43–57) | 43 (43–53) | |
| Dairy product calcium intake (mg/day) | 31 (0–71) | 15 (0–271) | 71 (0–522) | 115 (0–613) | |
| Height for age Z-score | −3.4 (−5.7 to −1.5) | −3.8 (−5.5 to −0.3) | 0.7 (−0.9 to 2.9) | −0.4 (−1.9 to 2.3) | −2.0 to 2.0 |
| Weight for height Z-score | −0.7 (−2.7 to 1.9)b | 0.4 (−1.6 to 1.9) | −0.4 (−2.0 to 0.9) | −0.2 (−2.0 to 1.0) | −2.0 to 2.0 |
| Serum biochemistry | |||||
| Calcium (mg/dL)c | 9.4 (7.7–10.0)b | 7.9 (6.1–9.1) | 9.3 (8.7–10.3) | 9.8 (8.6–10.4) | 9.6–10.6 |
| Phosphorus (mg/dL)d | 3.5 (2.1–4.4) | 4.1 (2.8–6.6) | 4.7 (4.2–5.5) | 5.1 (4.4–6.5) | 3.7–5.4 |
| Alkaline phosphatase (U/L) | 732 (451–1268)b | 412 (275–1552) | 167 (89–196) | 178 (105–230) | 149–476 |
| Albumin (g/L) | 43 (39–46) | 39 (31–45) | 43 (38–47) | 42 (35–46) | 35–50 |
| 25(OH)D (ng/mL)e | 11 (7–16)b | 15 (11–24) | 26 (21–34) | 28 (15–33) | 25–80f |
| 1,25(OH)2D (pg/mL)g | 175 (120–330)b | 271 (166–390) | 101 (90–178) | 125 (72–208) | 24–86 |
| 24,25(OH)2D (ng/mL)h | 0.98i (0.33–1.7) | 0.90 (0.43–2.8) | 4.11 (2.39–5.84) | 4.27 (1.44–5.94) | Not established |
| 24,25(OH)2D/25(OH)D proportion (%) | 10 (5–13) | 7 (4–16) | 16 (9–23) | 14 (10–33) | Not established |
a
Data are shown as median values (range).
b
p < .01 for comparison with the vitamin D3 group.
c
To convert values for calcium to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.25.
d
To convert values for phosphorus to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.32.
e
To convert values for 25(OH)D to nanomoles per liter, multiply by 2.50.
f
Optimal range.
g
To convert values for 1,25(OH)2D to picomoles per liter, multiply by 2.40.
h
To convert values for 24,25(OH)2D to nanomoles per liter, multiply by 2.40.
i
n = 10.