Prevalence and Risk Factors for Vitamin D Insufficiency Among Children With Epilepsy

• Published in: Pediatric neurology Vol. 42; no. 6; pp. 422 - 426
• Main Authors: Shellhaas, Renée A., MD, MS, Barks, Amanda K, Joshi, Sucheta M., MD, MS
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.06.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Epilepsy - complications; Epilepsy - epidemiology; Female; Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Odds Ratio; Pediatrics; Prevalence; Regression Analysis; Risk Factors; Vitamin D Deficiency - complications; Vitamin D Deficiency - epidemiology; Human; Nervous system diseases; Prevalence; Epilepsy; Central nervous system disease; Nutrition disorder; Risk factor; Child; Nutritional status; Cerebral disorder
• ISSN: 0887-8994; 1873-5150
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2010.03.004

This cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of, and risk factors for, vitamin D insufficiency among children treated for epilepsy in a general pediatric neurology clinic. Included were 78 children with epilepsy, aged 3-17 years, treated by the authors between September 2008 and March 2009. Vitamin D levels and relevant risk factors were evaluated using multiple logistic regression. Of the 78 children, 41% were male and 81% were of European origin; the mean age was 11.64 ± 4.37 years. 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of <20 ng/mL were observed in 25% of the children and levels considered to be normal (>32 ng/mL) were observed in only 25%. Girls and children with elevated body mass index were at increased risk for low 25-hydroxyvitamin D. The odds ratio for low 25-hydroxyvitamin D was 4.07 for girls versus boys, with a 95% confidence interval of 1.18-13.97; for each 1-unit increase in body mass index, the odds ratio was 1.179, with a 95% confidence interval of 1.047-1.329. Use of newer antiepileptic drugs was not associated with altered risk, compared with older enzyme-inducing drugs. Vitamin D insufficiency was highly prevalent in this unselected population of children with epilepsy. Female sex and increased body mass index were significant risk factors for low vitamin D levels, but antiepileptic drug regimen was not.