Prevalence and management of vitamin D deficiency in children with newly diagnosed coeliac disease: cohort study

ABSTRACT

Background

Coeliac disease (CD) causes deficiency of various micronutrients including vitamin D, and there are no specific guidelines for treatment.

Aims

To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in children newly diagnosed with CD and the role of oral high-dose vitamin D in its treatment.

Methods

Calcium intake, sun exposure and biochemical and radiological parameters related to vitamin D deficiency were compared between 60 children aged 0–18 years diagnosed with CD and 60 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. The cases with serum 25(OH)D (<20 ng/ml) were given oral vitamin D (60,000 IU/week) and calcium (500 mg/day) for 12 weeks, along with a gluten-free diet (GFD); they were re-evaluated within a week of completion. The primary outcome measure was the serum 25(OH)D level, and secondary measures included serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, parathormone and clinical and/or radiological rickets.

Results

The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D <20 ng/ml) was significantly greater in the cases (n=38, 63.3%) than in the controls (n=27, 45.0%). Upon treatment, all 38 cases with vitamin D deficiency showed a significant rise in 25(OH)D levels along with normalisation of other biochemical abnormalities. Two children had 25(OH)D levels >100 ng/ml with no other feature suggestive of vitamin D toxicity.

Conclusions

Vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent in children with CD. Administration of oral high-dose vitamin D for 12 weeks along with a GFD leads to a robust response, indicating rapid mucosal recovery. The vitamin D dosage recommended for malabsorption states may be excessive in CD.

Abbreviations: ALP: alkaline phosphatase; CaBP: calcium-binding proteins; CD: coeliac disease; GFD: gluten-free diet; PTH: parathormone; RU: reproducibility units; 25(OH)D: 25 hydroxy vitamin D

KEYWORDS:

• Coeliac disease
• vitamin D deficiency
• malabsorption
• gluten-free diet

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.