75 percent of unexplained sudden infant deaths had inadequate level of vitamin D – April 2013

Vitamin D deficiency and sudden unexpected death in infancy and childhood: a cohort study.

Pediatric and Developmental Pathology In-Press. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2350/13-01-1293-OA.1
Marta Cecilia Cohen, Amaka Offiah, Alan Sprigg, and M. U. D. H. E. R. AL-ADNANI (2013)
A Sheffield Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Histopathology
B SHEFFIELD CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, Radiology
C SHEFFIELD CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, Radiology
D SHEFFIELD CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, HISTOPATHOLOGY

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Objectives:

• (1): To determine if there is an increased prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in cases of sudden death in infancy and childhood;
• (2): to establish if there is a link between VDD and infection; and
• (3): to assess if the level of Vitamin D can be related to abnormalities in the skeletal survey and rib histology in our cohort.

Material and methods: The post mortem reports of cases in which vitamin D levels were measured in 2009 and 2010 were retrieved.
In those cases where parental consent for audit had been granted, rib histology and the skeletal survey were reviewed.

Results: Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured in 41 post mortem cases.

• 10/41 cases (24.5%) had adequate levels,
• 5/41 (12%) had sub-optimal levels,
• 16/41 (39%) had moderate deficiency and
• 10/41 (24.5%) had severe deficiency.

We had only 4 cases with VDD and infection.
There were 25 cases of unexplained death in our cohort, 76% of these had inadequate vitamin D levels.
The rib histology was abnormal in 69% of cases that had inadequate vitamin D levels, while the radiology was abnormal in 19% of cases.

Conclusions: A significant proportion of infants and children who died suddenly and unexpectedly had inadequate levels of vitamin D.
We were unable to confirm or exclude an association between VDD and infection.
Further multi-centre studies are needed to confirm our findings and explore possible associations between VDD and other known risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Received: January 26, 2013; Revised: March 9, 2013; Revised: April 10, 2013; Accepted: April 18, 2013; Final version received: ,

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See also VitaminDWiki

• Death of Babies in UK due to vitamin D deficiency – Jan 2012
• The Vitamin Deficiency Signs That Can Send You to Prison – Feb 2014
• All studies in category Infant-Child 854 items
• SIDS associated with poor bone growth in infants (Rickets, low vitamin D) – Dec 2020

See also Vitamin D Council on this study

• Vitamin D deficiency and SIDS May 2013
  87% of the SIDS babies <1 year showed evidence of rickets, yet 0% if > 1 year