Vitamin D levels in children with cerebral palsy

• Published in: Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicine 2023-01, Vol.16 (1), p.163-169
• Main Authors: Paker, Nurdan, Yavuz Mollavelioglu, Tugce, Bugdaycı, Derya, Ones, Kadriye, Bardak, Ayse Nur, Karacan, Ilhan, Yıkıcı, Ilgın, Kesiktas, Fatma Nur
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Cerebral Palsy; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Vitamin D
• ISSN: 1874-5393; 1875-8894
• DOI: 10.3233/PRM-190622

The aim of this study was to assess serum vitamin D levels and related factors in children with cerebral palsy (CP). One hundred and nineteen children with CP between the ages of 1 year to 10 years 9 months who were admitted to the children's inpatient rehabilitation unit of a tertiary rehabilitation hospital between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2018, were included in this study. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained from the patient files. CP types and serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels were recorded. Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) was used to assess the functional level. Mean age was 5.1±2.9 years. Forty-two (35.3%) were girls, 105 (88.3%) were spastic, and 14 (11.7%) were ataxic and mixed type CP. Mean GMFCS level was 4 (IQR:2). Thirty-one (26.1%) were getting extra liquid feed while the rest were eating a normal diet. Mean serum 25OHD level was 27.4±15.7 (3-79) ng/mL. Vitamin D levels were normal in 68 children (57.1%), whereas 36 (30.3%) had vitamin D insufficiency and 15 (12.6%) showed vitamin D deficiency. Those whose serum vitamin D levels were within a normal range had a median age of 3.8 (IQR:4.2) years. On the other hand, mean age was 6.4 (4.3) years for those with low vitamin D level (p