Florid and subclinical rickets among immigrant children in Glasgow

Abstract

200 Asian 300 African, Chinese, or Scottish children were examined for clinical, biochemical, and radiological evidence of vitamin-D deficiency. Among the Asians there were 10 with florid rickets and 15 with subclinical rickets. Among the African, Chinese, and Scottish children there were no cases of florid rickets and only 7 cases of subclinical rickets (3 African, 3 Chinese, and 1 Scottish). Loss of metaphyseal definition is considered to be the radiological pattern of minimal active rickets and metaphyseal bands to represent the healing stage. Serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol concentrations were low in clinical and subclinical minimal active rickets although there was some overlap with the wide range found in the "normal" group. Elevated serum-alkaline-phosphatase levels alone should not be regarded as indicating vitamin-D deficiency. The continuing prevalence of rickets in Asian children and in particular among schoolchildren warrants immediate action, which is long overdue.