Hypovitaminosis D in children with congenital heart defects and its correction

Hypovitaminosis D currently affects nearly half of the world's population. Children with congenital heart defects (CHD) are particularly prone to vitamin D deficiency. Mean level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in children with CHD is significantly lower than that in healthy children; cyanotic heart disease is usually associated with severe vitamin D deficiency. Low levels of vitamin D in these children can be caused by surgery with artificial circulation and, therefore, predispose to complications at different stages of the postoperative period. Another problem often overlooked after surgery for CHD is hypocalcemia, which cannot be addressed without adequate vitamin D intake and can lead to early osteoporosis in children. The majority of complications, in children with CHD (including those affecting the cardiovascular system) can be prevented by timely detection of hypovitaminosis D and its treatment; however, optimal therapeutic doses for these patients have not yet been determined. It is still debatable whether children with CHD require higher doses of vitamin D than healthy children. It is also unclear whether vitamin D level should be normalized before surgery and how long should it take to reach normal vitamin D level in serum. Key words: vitamin D, hypovitaminosis D, children, deficiency, insufficiency, congenital heart disease