Rickets in Healthy Adolescents in Van, the Eastern of Turkey

Aim: To investigate the ratio of rickets and vitamin D deficiency in healthy adolescents at Van region. Method: Totally 126 cases were included in this study. All cases were evaluated for the presence of rickets symptoms, daily sun exposure, and vitamin usage, covering and eating habit. Diagnosis of rickets was made based on biochemical findings. The children whose vitamin D levels were lower than 10 ng/dl were accepted as vitamin 25(OH)D3 deficiency, but whose levels between 10-20 ng/dl were accepted as vitamin D insufficiency. Result: Sixty girls (47.6%) and 66 boys (52.4%) were included in this study. They were between 9 and 17 years old (11.94 ± 1.9 years). Vitamin D levels in 60 (47.6%) cases were normal, but 48 (38.1%) cases had rickets, 13 (10.3%) cases had vitamin D insufficiency and 5 (4.0%) cases had vitamin D deficiency. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of rickets between the cases with or without covered-dress. However, there was a significant difference in the incidence of vitamin D insufficiency (p<0.05). All of the cases had less daily calcium, phosphorus, protein and vitamin D intake than recommended daily amount. In the rickets group, alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly higher comparing with the others (p<0.05), but there was no difference in plasma intact parathyroid hormone levels. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that most adolescents who appeared to be healthy (52.4%) could have vitamin D insufficiency. Therefore, we believe that dietary education and/or vitamin D prophylaxis might be given to all adolescents. However, more extensive researches should be done to elucidate of our suggestion’s correction