Vitamin D status in gabonese children

Objective. - To analyse the status of vitamin D and the influence of a supplement of vitamin D in neonates and infants during the first 6 months of life in the african equatorial environnement of Gabon. Design. - Clinical (weight, height, head circumference, and diseases) and biological (calcemia, phosphatemia, serum alkaline phosphatase activity and plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels) parameters were compared between 2 groups of children: group 1: 41 infants receving a daily supplement of 1000 IU of vitamin D, and group 2: 38 infants without vitamin D supplement. Results. - No significant differences were observed between the 2 groups concerning clinical and biological parameters. In particular plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were normal and similar in both groups. Conclusion. - A vitamin D supplement appears to be useless in 0 to 6 months infants living in Gabon. © 2005 Elsevier SAS. Tous droits réservés.