Rickets and Vitamin D Deficiency in Alaska Native Children

Overview

Journal J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab

Specialties Endocrinology
Pediatrics

Date 2015 Mar 6

PMID 25741788

Citations 17

Authors

Rosalyn Singleton

Rachel Lescher

Bradford D Gessner

Matthew Benson

Lisa Bulkow

John Rosenfeld

Timothy Thomas

Robert C Holman

Dana Haberling

Michael Bruce

Michael Bartholomew

James Tiesinga

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Rickets and vitamin D deficiency appeared to increase in Alaskan children starting in the 1990s. We evaluated the epidemiology of rickets and vitamin D deficiency in Alaska native (AN) children in 2001-2010.

Methods: We analyzed 2001-2010 visits with rickets or vitamin D deficiency diagnosis for AN and American Indian children and the general US population aged <10 years. We conducted a case-control study of AN rickets/vitamin D deficient cases and age- and region-matched controls.

Results: In AN children, annual rickets-associated hospitalization rate (2.23/100,000 children/year) was higher than the general US rate (1.23; 95% CI 1.08-1.39). Rickets incidence increased with latitude. Rickets/vitamin D deficiency cases were more likely to have malnutrition (OR 38.1; 95% CI 4.9-294), had similar breast-feeding prevalence, and were less likely to have received vitamin D supplementation (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.1-0.87) than controls.

Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of latitude, malnutrition, and lack of vitamin D supplementation as risk factors for rickets.

Citing Articles

Key recommendations and research priorities of the 2021 AMAP human health assessment.

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Etiology and Biochemical Profile of Rickets in Tertiary Care Centres in Eastern India: A Retrospective Cross-sectional Study.

Bhattacharjee R, Chakraborty P, Agrawal N, Roy A, Maiti A, Chowdhury S Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2024; 28(2):184-191.

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Physical Activity, Sleep, and Demographic Patterns in Alaska Native Children and Youth Living in Anaktuvuk Pass.

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PMID: 38084312 PMC: 10712412. DOI: 10.3390/youth3010021.

Impact of a Prenatal Vitamin D Supplementation Program on Vitamin D Deficiency, Rickets and Early Childhood Caries in an Alaska Native Population.

Singleton R, Day G, Thomas T, Klejka J, Desnoyers C, McIntyre M Nutrients. 2022; 14(19).

PMID: 36235588 PMC: 9570803. DOI: 10.3390/nu14193935.

Vitamin D, rickets and child abuse: controversies and evidence.

Aldana Sierra M, Christian C Pediatr Radiol. 2021; 51(6):1014-1022.

PMID: 33999242 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-020-04893-w.

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