Winter serum levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D in Ushuaia and Buenos Aires
Oliveri, M.B.; Ladizesky, M.; Somoza, J.; Martínez, L.; Mautalen, C.
Medicina 50(4): 310-314
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-7680 PMID: 2130224 Document Number: 354441
Public Health Annals recording diagnosis of nutritional rickets in patients admitted in Public Hospitals disclosed that from birth to age 14, in the period 1980-1981, the incidence was 2.7 higher in the Patagonia (latitude 39 degrees S to 55 degrees S) compared with the Pampeana Region and 8.5 higher than in the rest of the country. After informed parental consent 37 healthy children of Buenos Aires (34 degrees S) with an age of (Av +/- 1 SD) 7.0 +/- 1.2 years, 29 with an age of 13.1 +/- 1.5 years and 63 of Ushuaia (55 degrees S) with an age of 7.1 +/- 0.8 years were studied at the end of winter (August). Serum levels of 25-OH-D were as follows (mean +/- SE): Buenos Aires: 21.1 +/- 2.03 ng/ml (Average: seven years old), 19.0 +/- 1.18 ng/ml (children of thirteen years old) and Ushuaia: 9.3 +/- 0.64 ng/ml (p less than 0.001) (Fig. 2). Serum levels were below 8 ng/ml in 52% of the children in Ushuaia but only in 9% in Buenos Aires. Serum calcium and alkaline phosphatase levels were similar in the two groups but serum phosphate was higher in Ushuaia (Table 1). The calcium intake was greater in Ushuaia (811 +/- 49 mg/day) than in Buenos Aires (634 +/- 61 mg/day) and was correlated with 25-OH-D levels in children of Ushuaia (r = 0.50, p less than 0.001) but not in Buenos Aires (r = 0.08). The main source of calcium intake was vitamin D fortified milk. These results disclosed a significantly diminished level of serum 25-OH-D in Ushuaia.