[Vitamin D-induced tissue calcinosis and arteriosclerosis changes. I: A contribution to the 60 year history of vitamin D research with special reference to childhood].

Already in 1927, a short time after the detection of the vitamin D, the danger of a hypervitaminosis was put into the field of view. Overdoses of vitamin D may effect calciferous infiltrations in the soft tissue and arteriosclerotic changes. These findings are important especially under consideration of the up-to-now large-dosed vitamin-D-application in the field of the rachitis-prophylaxis. The appearance of nephrocalcinoses could have been demonstrated in predisposed infants and children suffering from disorders in calcium metabolism. In order to optimize the rachitis-prophylaxis in the GDR we comment on the problems and dangers by vitamin-D-overdosages on the basis of animal-experimental and clinical examinations.