Do infants with cow's milk protein allergy have inadequate levels of vitamin D?

Abstract Objective: To verify whether infants with cow's milk protein allergy have inadequate vitamin D levels. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 120 children aged 2 years or younger, one group with cow's milk protein allergy and a control group. The children were recruited at the pediatric gastroenterology, allergology, and pediatric outpatient clinics of a university hospital in the Northeast of Brazil. A questionnaire was administered to the caregiver and blood samples were collected for vitamin D quantification. Vitamin D levels <30 ng/mL were considered inadequate. Vitamin D level was expressed as mean and standard deviation, and the frequency of the degrees of sufficiency and other variables, as proportions. Results: Infants with cow's milk protein allergy had lower mean vitamin D levels (30.93 vs.35.29 ng/mL; p = 0.041) and higher deficiency frequency (20.3% vs.8.2; p = 0.049) than the healthy controls. Exclusively or predominantly breastfed infants with cow's milk protein allergy had higher frequency of inadequate vitamin D levels (p = 0.002). Regardless of sun exposure time, the groups had similar frequencies of inadequate vitamin D levels (p = 0.972). Conclusions: Lower vitamin D levels were found in infants with CMPA, especially those who were exclusively or predominantly breastfed, making these infants a possible risk group for vitamin D deficiency.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Silva,Cristiane M., Silva,Silvia A. da, Antunes,Margarida M. de C., Silva,Gisélia Alves Pontes da, Sarinho,Emanuel Sávio Cavalcanti, Brandt,Katia G.
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria 2017
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0021-75572017000600632
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