Shah Nawaz, Shafiq-ur Rehman, Rab Nawaz, Kulsoom Tariq, Mudassir Ahmad Khan.
Frequency Of Hypovitaminosis D In Mothers Of Rachitic Infants In Peshawar.
J Med Sci Jan ;25(1):59-62.

Objective: To determine the frequency of Vitamin D deficiency in lactating mothers of infants presenting with rickets Material and Methods: This was a cross sectional descriptive study conducted at Biochemistry Department, Khyber Medical College Peshawar from October 2013 to January 2014. 100 breastfeeding mothers of infants (children beyond neonatal age) with nutritional or vitamin D deficiency rickets were included. Mothers of infants with nutritional rickets fed on formula milk wholly or partially and those with secondary rickets were excluded. Blood samples from mothers were collected in Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) and Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) Peshawar. All the analyses were performed on Semi-Automatic Clinical Chemistry Analyzer Metrolab 1600. 25-OH Cholecalciferol levels in the serum were determined by ELISA method. Results: Hypovitaminosis D was found in 73% of breastfeeding mothers of infants with rickets. This included 26% of Vitamin D Deficiency and 47% of Vitamin D Insufficiency. Minimum level of 25-OH Vitamin D was 10ng/ml and maximum 58ng/ml with a mean value of 26.94 ng/ml. 71% of mothers with low Vitamin D status belonged to urban areas, 52% were uneducated, 56% were of the highest income group, 42% had a dress preference for being “unveiled” when outdoors, 19% had maximal exposure to sunlight, 73% had no vitamin D supplementation and 86% of such mothers with hypovitaminosis D were housewives. 44% low vitamin D status mothers were either obese or overweight. High serum Alkaline Phosphatase level was associated with hypovitaminosis D in 84% cases, low serum calcium found in 59% and high phosphate in 25% of mothers with low vitamin D status. Conclusion: Breastfeeding mothers of infants with rickets are usually vitamin D deficient/having low vitamin D status.

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