Prevalence and risk factors of low vitamin D levels in children and adolescents with familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis.

UNLABELLED: Patients with familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HOKPP) experience episodes of reversible immobility and are at an increased risk of limited sunlight exposure, potentially leading to vitamin D deficiency. However, there is a lack of data on vitamin D levels in this population. We investigated serum vitamin D levels and their associated factors in children with HOKPP. This study included 170 genetically-confirmed children with HOKPP, aged 3-18 years, and 170 age-, sex-, and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy controls from the Korean Channelopathy Study, a prospective controlled investigation. Anthropometric and clinical characteristics were recorded, and serum levels of calcium, ionized calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) were analyzed. Vitamin D deficiency (< 20 ng/mL) was observed in 87.0% of the patients compared to 45.5% of the controls (P < 0.05) during the summer-fall season. During the winter-spring season, 91.7% of the patients and 73.4% of the controls were deficient (P < 0.05). A strong positive correlation was found between onset age of the first paralytic attack and vitamin D levels (r = 0.78, P < 0.01). Conversely, the frequency and duration of paralytic attacks were negatively correlated with vitamin D levels (r = -0.82 and r = -0.65, P < 0.01, respectively). Age, BMI, age at onset, frequency and duration of attacks, and PTH levels were independently associated with vitamin D levels (ß = -0.10, -0.12, 0.19, -0.27, -0.21, and -0.13, P < 0.05, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent in children with HOKPP, and vitamin D levels correlated with various disease characteristics. We recommend routine screening for vitamin D levels in these patients to address this prevalent deficiency. Considering the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency observed, further research on other diseases characterized by reversible immobility is warranted.

WHAT IS KNOWN: • A correlation between immobility and low serum vitamin D levels has been established. However, the vitamin D status of patients with familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HOKPP) who experience periods of reversible immobility remains unknown.

WHAT IS NEW: • Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent in children with HOKPP, and vitamin D levels correlated with various disease characteristics.