Table 2.
Study participants knowledge indicated by percentage of correct answers * regarding diagnosis of hypovitaminosis D, vitamin D supplementation and therapy.
| n (%) | |
|---|---|
| Definition of the hypovitaminosis D | |
| 25(OH)D level for the diagnosis of VD deficiency, N = 238 | |
| 30 nmol/L (12 ng/mL) | 84 (35.3) |
| 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL) | 79 (33.2) |
| 25(OH)D level for diagnosis of VD insufficiency, N = 238 | |
| 30–50 nmol/L (12–20 ng/mL) | 82 (34.5) |
| 50–75 nmol/L (20–30 ng/mL) | 72 (30.3) |
| Supplementation with vitamin D | |
| VD doses for a supplementation in children younger than 12 months, N = 268 | n (%) |
| 400 IU/day | 164 (61.2) |
| 400–1000 IU/day | 80 (29.9) |
| VD doses for a supplementation in children older than 12 months that are at risk † of developing hypovitaminosis D, N = 267 | |
| 600–1000 IU/day | 97 (36.3) |
| 600 IU/day | 36 (13.5) |
| Therapy with vitamin D | |
| VD level cut off point to start with the therapeutic doses of VD therapy, N = 214 | |
| 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL) | 73 (34.1) |
| Therapeutic doses of VD used for treating verified hypovitaminosis D in children older than 12 months, N = 218 | n (%) |
| 2000 IU/day | 55 (25.2) |
| 5000 IU/day | 20 (9.2) |
| 6000 IU/day | 8 (3.7) |
| 50,000 IU/week | 3 (1.4) |
| Therapeutic doses of VD used for treating verified hypovitaminosis D in children younger than 12 months, N = 216 | |
| 1000 IU/day | 62 (28.7) |
| 2000 IU/day | 46 (21.3) |
| Duration of therapy with VD for treating verified hypovitaminosis D, N = 220 | |
| 3 months | 76 (34.5) |
| 2 months | 33 (15) |
| 1 month | 16 (7.3) |
| 1.5 months | 12 (5.5) |
* Answers that are according to the selected guidelines: Institute of Medicine (IOM) [20], Central European Scientific Committee [25], United States Endocrine Society [26], European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) [27], Global Consensus Recommendations on Prevention and Management of Nutritional Rickets [37], Misra et al., guidelines [38]. † Children and adolescents with dark skin living in northern countries, children and adolescents without adequate sun exposure (excessive use of sunscreen with high SPF, staying indoors for much of the day, wearing clothes covering most of the skin, living in northern latitudes during wintertime), and obese children.