Low dose depot oral vitamin D3v. daily oral vitamin D3 for treating nutritional rickets: a randomised clinical trial

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D threshold and risk of rickets in young children: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis to inform the development of dietary requirements for vitamin D

PURPOSE

The objective of this systematic review was to determine a minimum serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) threshold based on the risk of having rickets in young children. This work was commissioned by the WHO and FAO within the framework of the update of the vitamin D requirements for children 0-3 years old.

METHODS

A systematic search of Embase was conducted to identify studies involving children below  4 years of age with serum 25OHD levels and radiologically confirmed rickets, without any restriction related to the geographical location or language. Study-level and individual participant data (IPD)-level random effects multi-level meta-analyses were conducted. The odds, sensitivity and specificity for rickets at different serum 25OHD thresholds were calculated for all children as well as for children with adequate calcium intakes only.

RESULTS

A total of 120 studies with 5412 participants were included. At the study-level, children with rickets had a mean serum 25OHD of 23 nmol/L (95% CI 19-27). At the IPD level, children with rickets had a median and mean serum 25OHD of 23 and 29 nmol/L, respectively. More than half (55%) of the children with rickets had serum 25OHD below 25 nmol/L, 62% below 30 nmol/L, and 79% below 40 nmol/L. Analysis of odds, sensitivities and specificities for nutritional rickets at different serum 25OHD thresholds suggested a minimal risk threshold of around 28 nmol/L for children with adequate calcium intakes and 40 nmol/L for children with low calcium intakes.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review and IPD meta-analysis suggests that from a public health perspective and to inform the development of dietary requirements for vitamin D, a minimum serum 25OHD threshold of around 28 nmol/L and above would represent a low risk of nutritional rickets for the majority of children with an adequate calcium intake.

Daily vs. monthly oral vitamin D3 for treatment of symptomatic vitamin D deficiency in infants: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

Compare the efficacy and safety of daily vs. monthly oral vitamin D₃ in treating symptomatic vitamin D deficiency in infants.

METHODS

90 infants with symptomatic vitamin D deficiency were randomized into Daily (D) [46 infants] and Bolus (B) [44 infants] groups to receive oral vitamin D₃, daily (2000 IU/day) and bolus (60,000 IU/month) for three months respectively. Both groups received daily oral calcium @50 mg/kg/day. Serum calcium (Ca), phosphate (P), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), 25-hydroxy cholecalciferol [25(OH)D], parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, urine calcium: creatinine ratio and radiological score were assessed at baseline, 4 and 12 weeks. At the end of 12 weeks, 78 infants were available for evaluation of efficacy and safety of both regimens.

RESULTS

Both regimens led to a statistically significant increase in Ca and P levels and fall in ALP and PTH levels from baseline to 4 and 12 weeks of therapy, with no inter-group difference. Infants in group D had statistically significant higher mean 25(OH)D levels as compared to group B at 4 weeks (group D 130.89 ± 43.43 nmol/L, group B - 108.25 ± 32.40 nmol/L; p - 0.012) and 12 weeks (group D - 193.69 ± 32.47 nmol/L, group B - 153.85 ± 33.60 nmol/L; p<0.001). Eight infants [group D - 6/41 (14.6 %); group B - 2/37 (5.4 %), p=0.268] developed mild asymptomatic hypercalcemia without hypercalciuria at 12 weeks that corrected spontaneously within a week.

CONCLUSIONS

Both daily and monthly oral vitamin D₃ in equivalent doses are efficacious and safe for treating symptomatic vitamin D deficiency in infants.

Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation Among Children Aged 0 to 6 Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

IMPORTANCE

Several health benefits of vitamin D have been suggested; however, the safety of high-dose supplementation in early childhood is not well described.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically assess the risk of adverse events after high-dose supplementation with vitamin D reported in published randomized clinical trials.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched through August 24, 2021.

STUDY SELECTION

Randomized clinical trials of high-dose vitamin D supplementation in children aged 0 to 6 years, defined as greater than 1000 IU/d for infants (aged 0-1 year) and greater than 2000 IU/d for children aged 1 to 6 years.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline, 2 reviewers independently extracted the data from the eligible studies. Summary risk ratio (RR), 95% CI, and P values were derived from random-effects meta-analysis.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Adverse events, serious adverse events (SAEs), and/or levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium, alkaline phosphatase, phosphate, parathyroid hormone, and/or the ratio of urine calcium to creatinine levels.

RESULTS

A total of 32 randomized clinical trials with 8400 unique participants were included. Different clinical outcomes of children receiving high-dose vitamin D supplements ranging from 1200 to 10 000 IU/d and bolus doses from 30 000 IU/week to a single dose of 600 000 IU were evaluated. Eight studies with 4612 participants were eligible for meta-analysis using a control group receiving either low-dose vitamin D supplementation (≤400 IU/d) or placebo when investigating the risk of SAEs such as hospitalization or death. No overall increased risk of SAEs in the high-dose vitamin D vs control groups was found (RR, 1.01 [95% CI, 0.73-1.39]; P = .89, I2 = 0%). In addition, risk of hypercalcemia (n = 726) was not increased (RR, 1.18 [95% CI, 0.72-1.93]; P = .51). Clinical adverse events potentially related to the vitamin D supplementation reported in the studies were rare.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This meta-analysis and systematic review found that high-dose vitamin D supplementation was not associated with an increased risk of SAEs in children aged 0 to 6 years, and that clinical adverse events potentially related to the supplementation were rare. These findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation in the dose ranges of 1200 to 10 000 IU/d and bolus doses to 600 000 IU to young children may be well tolerated.