Researchers: Dr Jason K Tan, (Paediatric registrar), Dr Andrew Martin (Supervisor, Gen. Paediatrician/Metabolic consultant), Dr Aris Siafarikas (Endocrinology consultant), Princess Margaret Hospital
Funding: Internal
Project summary: Vitamin D plays a key role in strengthening bones to help prevent fractures. Less well recognised, but possibly even more important are the roles vitamin D plays in supporting the immune system to help fight infections and in protecting against certain forms of cancer and diabetes. Humans produce vitamin D in their skin under the influence of sunlight. Lack of sun exposure and dark skin increase the risk of vitamin D deficiency.
At Princess Margaret Hospital, up to 80% of children seen at the Refugee Clinic (predominantly of African origin) are vitamin D deficient. These children require vitamin D supplementation, which can be given either in small doses each day or in a high dose at six-weekly intervals (“depot therapy”). Although there are no published studies examining the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Australian Aboriginal children, it seems highly likely that those children with darker skin who do not get regular sunlight exposure will also be at very high risk of vitamin D deficiency.
The aims of this study are to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Aboriginal children from metropolitan and rural settings in Western Australia (WA); to examine the relationship between vitamin D levels and childhood infections; and to determine if depot and daily vitamin D therapy have the same therapeutic outcomes.
Progress: Completed in 2013