Hypervitaminosis D and Acute Interstitial Nephritis: Tale of Injections.

A 33-year-old man came with nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain due to hypercalcaemia and renal dysfunction following two doses of intramuscular vitamin D injections. Levels of vitamin D were repeatedly above 300 ng/ml over a period of 10 months. Whole-body PET CT scan revealed a thin-walled collection in the right gluteal region. The patient refused a surgical intervention for the same. After 7 months of follow-up, the abscess ruptured spontaneously and was then surgically debrided. At this point, a history of pentazocine addiction was uncovered. One month later, vitamin D levels began to fall along with improvement in serum calcium and creatinine. This case unravels a diagnostic odyssey which ended with a simple surgical debridement. We aim to highlight that vitamin D supplementation in 'megadoses' in the presence of active infection can have an exaggerated response and may take months to resolve.

[Sustained serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations for one year with cholecalciferol supplementation improves glycaemic control and slows the decline of residual ß cell function in children with type 1 diabetes].

INTRODUCTION: Studies using vitamin D for preservation of residual b-cell function (RBCF) and improvement of glycaemic control in type 1 diabetes (T1D) have shown inconsistent results. The possible causes of the discrepancies in the results are related to the dosage, type, and duration of vitamin D supplementation, C-peptide concentration at entry into the study, and the influence of glycaemic control on RBCF during supplementation. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the effect of cholecalciferol supplementation on RBCF and glycaemic control in children with T1D. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-two children aged 6-12 years and within 1-2 years of diagnosis of T1D received cholecalciferol 3000 IU/day for one year (Group A). Thirty patients were recruited as controls (Group B). The mean changes in stimulated C-peptide levels, HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBG), mean blood glucose (MBG), and mean total daily insulin (TDI) dose from baseline to the study endpoint were calculated. RESULTS: Children in Group A showed lower mean FBG, MBG, HbA1c, and lesser TDI as compared to Group B at all follow-up visits. However, the differences in these parameters between the two groups reached statistical significance towards the study endpoint. Within group A, the decline in C-peptide levels from baseline to the endpoint was minor (-0.13 ±0.11, p-value = 0.16) as compared to a substantial decline in Group B (-0.41 ±0.07, p-value = 0.00). Comparison of the mean decrease in stimulated C-peptide levels from baseline to the endpoint between the two groups was also statistically significant (-0.13 ±0.11 vs. -0.41 ±0.07, p-value = 0.00). The mean decrease in FBG and MBG in Group A were greater, whereas the comparison of the mean decrease in HbA1c between the groups reached statistical significance at the study endpoint (p-value = 0.04). The decrease in the TDI was, however, similar in the two groups (p-value = 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: Sustained serum 25-(OH)D concentrations with cholecalciferol supplementation for one year improves metabolic control and slows the decline of RBCF in children with T1D. Larger studies with longer duration and cholecalciferol dosage stratification are suggested.

Evaluation of micronutrient profile of North Indian children with cystic fibrosis: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Data on the micronutrient levels in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) are not available from developing countries, wherein the nutritional profile of children is quite different from that of Western countries. METHODS: Levels of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, and E) and trace metals (iron, copper, and zinc) were measured in 27 CF cases and 27 controls. RESULTS: CF cases had significantly low levels of all studied micronutrients compared with controls, and the levels were even lower in cases with exacerbation than in stable CF cases. Prevalence of deficiency of vitamin D, vitamin E, iron, copper, and zinc was significantly higher in cases than in controls, whereas vitamin A deficiency was almost equal in both the groups. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of deficiency of vitamins A, D, and E and iron, copper, and zinc was high in CF cases, and their levels were significantly lower in cases than controls. CF cases should be regularly monitored for these micronutrients, and appropriate supplementation should be considered.