Dr. Zulf Mughal

Consultant in Paediatric Bone Disorders

Department of Paediatric Endocrinology

Royal Manchester Childrens Hospital

M13 9WL

Vitamin D Deficiency and Fractures

Bone Study Day, 28th September 2012

Four-month-old baby with rickets 'was shaken to death‘

Brain damage so severe he was 'incompatible with life'

Staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital found multiple fractures including to Jayden's arms, leg and skull. (He also has Retinal Haemorrhages.)

“This horrific story unfolded over six weeks in a panelled courtroom of London’s Old Bailey. Yet today, Jayden’s father and mother — Rohan, 22, and 19-year-old Chana — are free. The case against them was thrown out ten days ago after 60 medical and forensic experts at their murder trial disagreed over what really killed their son.

Finally, the judge told the jury to find the couple not guilty because Jayden’s post-mortem revealed he had rickets, a serious childhood bone disease which had once been eradicated in this country nearly a century ago.”

Sue Reid 18th December 2011

LB of Islington v Al Alas and Wray [2012] EWHC 865 (Fam)

Jayden was an infant born to young parents of Afro-Caribbean origin

Mother not advised to take vitamin D supplements during pregnancyMother not advised to take vitamin D supplements during pregnancy

He was breast fed from birth (He was breast fed from birth (no vitamin D supplementno vitamin D supplement))

At age of 4½ months, referred to the University Collage Hospital, At age of 4½ months, referred to the University Collage Hospital, London, with a history of:London, with a history of:

• Not crying or making any noise. Not crying or making any noise.

• Not opening his mouth (tongue was stuck to the roof of the mouth). Not opening his mouth (tongue was stuck to the roof of the mouth).

• Possibly having fits.Possibly having fits.

After admission he started to fit & his condition rapidly deteriorated.After admission he started to fit & his condition rapidly deteriorated.

LB of Islington v Al Alas and Wray [2012] EWHC 865 (Fam)

The radiologist at UCH had queried the possibility of a The radiologist at UCH had queried the possibility of a metabolic bone disorder, such as rickets on CXRmetabolic bone disorder, such as rickets on CXR

Radiological investigations : multiple fractures, including Radiological investigations : multiple fractures, including a fracture of the skull & subdural brain haemorrhagesa fracture of the skull & subdural brain haemorrhages

Bilateral retinal haemorrhages. Bilateral retinal haemorrhages.

Jayden died three days later on the PICU at GOSH.Jayden died three days later on the PICU at GOSH.

Coroner's PM: Pathologist noted that Jayden had low Coroner's PM: Pathologist noted that Jayden had low serum Ca & raised ALP. She also noted radiological serum Ca & raised ALP. She also noted radiological features of rickets. Histology showed florid rickets .features of rickets. Histology showed florid rickets .

LB of Islington v Al Alas and Wray [2012] EWHC 865 (Fam)

At the conclusion of the hearing held before Mrs Justice Theis, all allegations against Jayden’sparents were found not proven.

Mrs Justice Theis concluded that Jayden’s fractures could have been caused by the day to day handling,due to fragility of Jayden's bones as a result of the his severe vitamin D deficiency rickets.

However, she concluded that the subdural haemorrhages were more likely to be caused by trauma.

LB of Islington v Al Alas and Wray [2012] EWHC 865 (Fam)

Jo Delahunty QC & Kate Purkiss

IMPLICATIONS

Severe Vitamin D Deficiency & Fractures

Rickets & FracturesRickets & Fractures

VDDR Type IVDDR Type I

Ca 2.06 mmol/lCa 2.06 mmol/l

P 0.61 mmol/l (1.1 – 2.0) P 0.61 mmol/l (1.1 – 2.0) ALP 4028 IU/l (100 - 733) ALP 4028 IU/l (100 - 733)

PTH 989 pg/ml (10 - 60)PTH 989 pg/ml (10 - 60)

25(OH)D 22 ng/ml25(OH)D 22 ng/ml

1,25(OH)22D 18 pg/ml (20 - 50)D 18 pg/ml (20 - 50)

Novel inactivating mutations in the CYP27B1 gene

Severe Vitamin D & Calcium Deficiency RicketsSevere Vitamin D & Calcium Deficiency Rickets

Neglect ?Neglect ?

Ca: 1.80 mmol/l (2.2 -2.65)

P: 0.76 mmol/l (1 – 1.8)

ALP:13,138 iu/l ( up to 600)

25(OH)D: 2.8 ng/ml (15 - 30)

PTH: 1,503 pg/ml (10 - 60)

Ca intake ~ 150 mg/day

Fractures in under-6-month-old exclusively breast-fed infants born to immigrant parents: nonaccidental injury?

S Senniappan, A Elazabi, I Doughty, M Z Mughal. Acta Paediatr. 2008; 97(7):836-7

A typical Instruction

Case of ARCase of AR

At the age of 9 weeks AR sustained a head injury

HISTORY: • Mum giving a massage with Johnson’s baby oil.

• AR slipped out of her hands and fell head first onto the living room floor.

• Height of fall ~ 45 inches.

• Communication problems – inconsistent history.

SKELETAL SURVEY:• A parietal fracture extending from ‘ear to ear’

• Compression fractures of T2, T3, T4 & T5

Case of ARCase of AR

Right Left

Case of ARCase of AR

Case of ARCase of AR

Case of ARCase of AR Mum of Pakistani origin. Not prescribed vitamin D during pregnancy.

AR born at term & exclusively breast-fed after birth.

He was not receiving vitamin D supplements.

November 2010. GP tested mum’s vitamin D status because of H/O ‘aches & pains’. Her serum 25OHD 6 ng/ml. (AR’s serum 25OHD at presentation 13 ng/ml.)

FINDING OF FACT HEARING: Was AR’s low serum 25OHD (& possibly maternal vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy ) responsible/contributory factor in causation of fractures?

118 < 2 year old with fractures - 60% accidental, 31% non-accidental & 9% indeterminate cause

39% were vitamin D deficient or insufficient

Vitamin D levels in those with accidental & non-accidental fractures not different.

SummarySummary

Subclinical vitamin D deficiency is very common.

Severe vitamin D deficiency is usually associated with elevated serum PTH concentrations.

Pathological fractures do occur in infants who suffer from severe vitamin D deficiency rickets.

There is no evidence that subclinical vitamin D deficiency causes fractures.

Vitamin D deficiency and Fractures Vitamin D deficiency and Fractures Position statement of the British Paediatric & Adolescent Bone Group

In the context of unexplained fractures in infancy

it is our opinion that unless there is radiological

evidence of rickets using conventional X-ray

techniques and biochemical evidence of rickets

(i.e. abnormal blood levels of calcium, phosphate,

alkaline phosphatase or parathyroid hormone)

that the level of 25 hydroxyvitamin D is not relevant

to the causation of the fractures.

Thank YouThank You

Email: zulf.mughal@cmft.nhs.uk