Prospective pilot study evaluating a vitamin D3 loading dose in critically ill children with vitamin D deficiency

• Published in: Fundamental & clinical pharmacology 2024-06, Vol.38 (3), p.588-595
• Main Authors: Covington, Elizabeth W, Jasper-Trotter, Shaneese L, Arnold, Robert D, Amin, Raj, Egbert, Susan, Chung, Allison
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Calciferol; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Cholecalciferol - administration & dosage; Critical Illness; Dietary Supplements; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Humans; Infant; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; Male; Nutrient loading; Patients; Pediatrics; Pilot Projects; Prospective Studies; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - administration & dosage; Vitamin D - analogs & derivatives; Vitamin D - blood; Vitamin D Deficiency - blood; Vitamin D Deficiency - drug therapy; Vitamin D3; Vitamin deficiency; Vitamins - administration & dosage
• ISSN: 0767-3981; 1472-8206
• DOI: 10.1111/fcp.12973

Vitamin D deficiency is a common finding in critically ill children. However, the optimal supplementation strategy in this patient population is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of high-dose (10 000 IU/kg, max. 400 000 IU) vitamin D supplementation on 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25[OH]D3) levels in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients with baseline vitamin D deficiency. This was a prospective, institutional review board-approved pilot research study performed at the University of South Alabama Women's and Children's Hospital in Mobile, AL. The study sample consisted of patients less than 18 years old admitted to the PICU with baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) level less than 30 ng/ml. Included patients received a one-time dose of vitamin D3 orally or via gastric tube (10 000 IU/kg, max. 400 000 IU). A total of 17 patients were screened with 11 included in the study. Blood analysis revealed a significant increase in 25(OH)D3 level from baseline to 12-h post dose (21.6 [4.5] ng/ml vs. 46.7 [15.5] ng/ml, P