Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T09:56:50.351Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Dilated cardiomyopathy due to hypocalcaemic rickets: is it always a reversible condition?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2012

Marianna Fabi
Affiliation:
Pediatric Cardiology Unit, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Valentina Gesuete*
Affiliation:
Pediatric Cardiology Unit, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Roberta Petrucci
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Luca Ragni
Affiliation:
Pediatric Cardiology Unit, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
*
Correspondence to: Dr V. Gesuete, M.D., Pediatric Cardiology Unit, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. Tel: +39 051 6363435; Fax: +39 051 6363116; E-mail: valegesuete@hotmail.it

Abstract

Nutritional rickets is still occasionally found in high-income countries, especially in populations at risk, and induced hypocalcaemia is a rare but possible cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. Although rare, physicians need to consider nutritional rickets in the differential diagnosis of hypocalcaemia cardiac failure, especially in high-risk populations such as immigrants. Despite being a reversible condition, the prognosis depends on the severity and time of diagnosis. We report two cases of exclusively breastfed infants with congestive cardiac failure due to hypokinetic dilated cardiomyopathy who had completely different outcomes. This report supports the need for prevention of this deficiency and underlies the role of vitamin D supplementation.

Type
Brief Reports
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Allgrove, J. Is nutritional rickets returning? Arch Dis Child 2004; 89: 699701.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Beck-Nielsen, SS, Brock-Jacobsen, B, Gram, J, Brixen, K, Jensen, TK. Incidence and prevalence of nutritional and hereditary rickets in southern Denmark. Eur J Endocrinol 2009; 160: 491497.Google Scholar
3. Maiya, S, Sullivan, I, Allgrove, J, et al. Hypocalcaemia and vitamin D deficiency: an important, but preventable, cause of life-threatening infant heart failure. Heart 2008; 94: 581584.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4. Brown, J, Nunez, S, Russell, M, Spurney, C. Hypocalcemic rickets and dilated cardiomyopathy: case reports and review of literature. Pediatr Cardiol 2009; 30: 818823.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Tomar, M, Radhakrishnan, S, Shrivastava, S. Myocardial dysfunction due to hypocalcemia. Indian Pediatrics 2010; 47: 781783.Google Scholar
6. Uysal, S, Kalayci, AG, Baysal, K. Cardiac functions in children with vitamin D deficiency rickets. Pediatr Cardiol 1999; 20: 283286.Google Scholar
7. Cox, GF, Sleeper, LA, Lowe, AM, et al. Factors associated with establishing a causal diagnosis for children with cardiomyopathy. Pediatrics 2006; 118: 15191531.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Wagner, CL, Taylor, SN, Dawodu, A, Johnson, DD, Hollis, BW. Vitamin D and its role during pregnancy in attaining optimal health of mother and fetus. Nutrients 2012; 4: 208230.Google Scholar
9. Baroncelli, GI, Bereket, A, El Kholy, M, et al. Rickets in the Middle East: role of environment and genetic predisposition. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2008; 93: 17431750.Google Scholar
10. Wang, TJ, Zhang, F, Richards, JB, et al. Common genetic determinants of vitamin D insufficiency: a genome-wide association study. Lancet 2010; 376: 180188.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11. Wagner, CL, Greer, FR. Prevention of rickets and vitamin D deficiency in infants, children, and adolescents. Pediatrics 2008; 122: 11421152.Google Scholar
12. Holick, MF, Binkley, NC, Bischoff-Ferrari, HA, et al. Guidelines for preventing and treating vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency revisited. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2012; 97: 11531158.Google Scholar