Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in exclusively breastfed infants at a tertiary healthcare facility in Nairobi, Kenya
ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in exclusively breastfed infants at the Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi, Kenya (AKUHN). The relationships between 25-hydroxyvitamin D; 25OHD, parathyroid hormone (PTH), maternal vitamin D supplementation, and sunligh...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2359-39972020000600726&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1798015565757939712 |
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| author | Nusrat Abubakar Said Rose Wanjiru Kamenwa Mary Slessor Limbe Mitchel Otieno Okumu William Maina Macharia |
| author_facet | Nusrat Abubakar Said Rose Wanjiru Kamenwa Mary Slessor Limbe Mitchel Otieno Okumu William Maina Macharia |
| author_sort | Nusrat Abubakar Said |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in exclusively breastfed infants at the Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi, Kenya (AKUHN). The relationships between 25-hydroxyvitamin D; 25OHD, parathyroid hormone (PTH), maternal vitamin D supplementation, and sunlight exposure were also determined. Subjects and methods: Blood from 98 infants was assayed for 25OHD, calcium, phosphate, and PTH. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential analysis (p < 0.05). Results: The prevalence of VDD (25OHD <12 ng/mL), vitamin D insufficiency (VDI, 25OHD 12-20 ng/mL) and vitamin D sufficiency (VDS, 25OHD >20 ng/mL) was 11.2% (95% CI 8.0%-14.4%), 12.2% (95% CI 8.9%-15.5%), and 76.5% (95% CI 72.3%-80.8%) respectively. There was no difference in the mean age, head circumference, length, or weight of infants in VDD, VDI, and VDS groups. PTH was elevated when 25OHD was <12 ng/mL and normal when 25OHD was between 12-20 ng/mL. 25OHD and PTH were normal in infants whose mothers received vitamin D supplements. Infants who received <30 minutes/day of exposure to sunlight were 5 times more likely to have VDI than infants who received ≥30 minutes/day (p = 0.042). Conclusions: The prevalence of VDD in exclusively breastfed infants at AKUHN is low. The current national policy that recommends exclusive breastfeeding of infants in the first 6 months of life appears to be effective in staving off vitamin D deficiency but those infants with < 30 minutes sunlight exposure may benefit from low dose supplemental vitamin D during times of low sunlight exposure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T15:36:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-39ed40f304604c93965f878ca07295aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2359-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T15:36:40Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism |
| spelling | doaj.art-39ed40f304604c93965f878ca07295aa2022-12-22T04:15:57ZengBrazilian Society of Endocrinology and MetabolismArchives of Endocrinology and Metabolism2359-42922020-08-0164672673410.20945/2359-3997000000281Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in exclusively breastfed infants at a tertiary healthcare facility in Nairobi, KenyaNusrat Abubakar Saidhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4482-0732Rose Wanjiru Kamenwahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2708-6978Mary Slessor Limbehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9621-1421Mitchel Otieno Okumuhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9316-990XWilliam Maina Machariahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4428-862XABSTRACT Objective: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in exclusively breastfed infants at the Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi, Kenya (AKUHN). The relationships between 25-hydroxyvitamin D; 25OHD, parathyroid hormone (PTH), maternal vitamin D supplementation, and sunlight exposure were also determined. Subjects and methods: Blood from 98 infants was assayed for 25OHD, calcium, phosphate, and PTH. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential analysis (p < 0.05). Results: The prevalence of VDD (25OHD <12 ng/mL), vitamin D insufficiency (VDI, 25OHD 12-20 ng/mL) and vitamin D sufficiency (VDS, 25OHD >20 ng/mL) was 11.2% (95% CI 8.0%-14.4%), 12.2% (95% CI 8.9%-15.5%), and 76.5% (95% CI 72.3%-80.8%) respectively. There was no difference in the mean age, head circumference, length, or weight of infants in VDD, VDI, and VDS groups. PTH was elevated when 25OHD was <12 ng/mL and normal when 25OHD was between 12-20 ng/mL. 25OHD and PTH were normal in infants whose mothers received vitamin D supplements. Infants who received <30 minutes/day of exposure to sunlight were 5 times more likely to have VDI than infants who received ≥30 minutes/day (p = 0.042). Conclusions: The prevalence of VDD in exclusively breastfed infants at AKUHN is low. The current national policy that recommends exclusive breastfeeding of infants in the first 6 months of life appears to be effective in staving off vitamin D deficiency but those infants with < 30 minutes sunlight exposure may benefit from low dose supplemental vitamin D during times of low sunlight exposure.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2359-39972020000600726&tlng=en25OHDvitamin Dvitamin D deficiencyparathyroid hormonevitamin D insufficiencyexclusively breastfed infants |
| spellingShingle | Nusrat Abubakar Said Rose Wanjiru Kamenwa Mary Slessor Limbe Mitchel Otieno Okumu William Maina Macharia Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in exclusively breastfed infants at a tertiary healthcare facility in Nairobi, Kenya Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism 25OHD vitamin D vitamin D deficiency parathyroid hormone vitamin D insufficiency exclusively breastfed infants |
| title | Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in exclusively breastfed infants at a tertiary healthcare facility in Nairobi, Kenya |
| title_full | Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in exclusively breastfed infants at a tertiary healthcare facility in Nairobi, Kenya |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in exclusively breastfed infants at a tertiary healthcare facility in Nairobi, Kenya |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in exclusively breastfed infants at a tertiary healthcare facility in Nairobi, Kenya |
| title_short | Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in exclusively breastfed infants at a tertiary healthcare facility in Nairobi, Kenya |
| title_sort | prevalence of vitamin d deficiency in exclusively breastfed infants at a tertiary healthcare facility in nairobi kenya |
| topic | 25OHD vitamin D vitamin D deficiency parathyroid hormone vitamin D insufficiency exclusively breastfed infants |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2359-39972020000600726&tlng=en |
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