Endocrine Abstracts

Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide health problem. The lack of appreciation of the importance of sensible sun exposure for providing children and adults with their vitamin D requirement has led to a worldwide vitamin D deficiency pandemic,vitamin D deficiency can have a negative influence on bone development, causing not only rickets, but also interfering with attainment of genetically programmed height.

Aim of the study: To assess vitamin D status among healthy egyptian adolescents and its relation to height percentile.

Methods: Our study was conducted on 180 healthy adolescent males and females aged 10–19 years, Subjects with chronic systemic diseases and those with height <2 S.D. below the mean of their age were excluded from our study, detailed history including sun exposure, dietary pattern, socioeconomic status, physical and anthropometric evaluation, Laboratory investigations including: Hb concentration, serum creatinine, Serum albumin, corrected serum total calcium, serum phosphorus, serum 25 hydroxy-vitamin D level by Elisa.

Results: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 142 out of 180 (78.9%), 88 out of 180 (48.89%) had moderate deficiency (10–20 ng/ml, this was significantly higher among females, mean serum 25 (OH) D3 level was 22.45±9.114, therewas a positive significant correlation between vitamin D level and stature for age percentile (r=0.174) (P=0.019).

Conclusion: Subclinical vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are common problems in apparently healthy Egyptian adolescents with negative impact on height percentile.