Abstract
BACKGROUNDIt was reported that 32% of children under five years old in Mongolia had symptoms of rickets. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism has received attention in relation to bone metabolism. We therefore investigated whether VDR polymorphism is related to high prevalence of rickets in Mongolia and to bone properties in childhood.METHODSWe conducted a case-control study in Ulaanbaatar involving 80 children aged 7-10 years with a history of rickets (cases) and 72 children with no history of rickets (controls). VDR polymorphism was assessed using BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI, and bone properties were determined by measuring age-standardized midtibial cortical speed of sound (TCSOS).FINDINGSEach allelic frequency was verified to satisfy the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in cases, controls, and the total sample. The VDR polymorphisms among cases (BB 3%, Bb 18%, bb 80%; AA 15%, Aa 38%, aa 47%; and TT 81 %, Tt 17%, tt 3%) did not differ significantly from those among controls (BB 1%, Bb 13%, bb 86%; AA 16%, Aa 46%, aa 38%; and TT 86%, Tt 13%, tt 1%). There were no significant differences in TCSOS according to the VDR genotype among either cases or controls.CONCLUSIONSThe VDR polymorphism does not play a major role in the development of rickets in Mongolia and has no effect on TCSOS in childhood.
Highlights
It was reported that 32% of children under five years old in Mongolia had symptoms of rickets
The Vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphism does not play a major role in the development of rickets in Mongolia and has no effect on TCSOS in childhood
Given the possible associations between bone metabolism and the VDR polymorphism, rickets may be related to the VDR gene polymorphism
Summary
We conducted a case-control study in Ulaanbaatar involving 80 children aged 7-10 years with a history of rickets (cases) and 72 children with no history of rickets (controls). The present study was performed in 80 children aged 7–10 years old with a history of rickets (cases) and in 72 children with no history of rickets (controls). We enrolled additional children in each group to compensate for some non-evaluable subjects. Both cases and controls were selected from the children's roster with consultation records filed at a health center in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The center was a public facility with physicians practicing family medicine. Both preventive and primary curative services, including maternal and child health services, were provided for people living in the area. The children's roster used in this study consisted of children who visited the health center for the treatment of diseases and for health consultations
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