ESPE Abstracts

Background: In Romania (latitude 48°15’N to 43°40’N), vitamin D supplementation is a common practice mostly in 0–2 year old infants. No published information is available regarding vitamin D status in Romanian children.

Objective and hypotheses: We aimed to evaluate the seasonal and age variation of vitamin D status in a large Romanian pediatric patient population.

Method: 1 395 individuals, 0–18years, from across Romania had performed 1–699 vitamin D assessments (2012–2014) in a chain of private laboratories (Bioclinica). Vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D2 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3) was measured using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Vitamin D levels were classified as severe deficiency<10 ng/ml, deficiency?10–20 ng/ml, insufficiency 21–29 ng/ml, sufficiency≧30 ng/ml, potentially harmful 100–150 ng/ml and toxicity >150 ng/ml.

Results: Female to male to ratio was 1:1.3. Mean vitamin D levels increased from April (36.9 ng/ml) to September (44.8 ng/ml) and decreased from October (43.9 ng/ml) to March (32.6 ng/ml). Mean vitamin D levels were 68.9 ng/ml before the age of one and 56.6 ng/ml in 1–2 years old’s, significantly higher than for the older ages (mean 26.6 ng/ml ages 3–18 years). There was no gender difference for mean vitamin D. Children under the age of 1 year (n=233) presented the highest percentage of vitamin D toxicity (3.4%) and possibly harmful levels (9.4%).

Conclusion: 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels>100 ng/ml were relatively prevalent in children 0–1 year old (12.8%). This might be attributed to supplementation errors and the fact that high-risk individuals were more likely to visit for medical check-up. Nonetheless, it stresses on the need to increase awareness on the importance of preventing Vitamin D supplementation administration errors in young age.

Funding: Maria Puiu was financed under the Operational program: Development of existing infrastructure and creation of new infrastructure (laboratories, research centers). POSCCE-A2-O2.2.1-2013-1 in the Center of Genomic Medicine from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy ‘Victor Babes’ Timisoara.