Vitamin D treatment in calcium-deficiency rickets: a randomised controlled trial
Thacher TD, Fischer PR, Pettifor JM
Published in Arch Dis Child, Vol. 99 (9), pp. 807-11
Methodology
Randomised trial in 72 Nigerian children with active calcium-deficiency rickets, all given calcium carbonate as limestone (about 938 mg elemental calcium twice daily), plus either oral vitamin D2 50,000 IU or placebo monthly for 24 weeks.
Key Findings
The primary outcome (radiographic score 1.5 or less and alkaline phosphatase 350 U/L or less) was reached by 67% with calcium plus vitamin D and 44% with calcium alone (p = 0.06). Children who healed had higher final 25(OH)D (56.4 vs 37.7 nmol/L).
Conclusions
Adding vitamin D showed a non-significant trend towards better healing of calcium-deficiency rickets treated with calcium.
Limitations
Small, unequal arms; primary result not statistically significant; single research group.
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