Glackin S, Mayne P, Kenny D, McMahon C J, Cody D
Department of Endocrinology, Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin 12, Ireland.
Children's University Hospital, Temple St, Dublin 1, Ireland.
Ir Med J. 2017 Mar 10;110(3):535.
We identified three infants with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) secondary to severe vitamin D deficieny and hypocalcaemia. All infants were exclusively breast fed, from dark skinned ethnic backgrounds, born and living in Ireland. None of these pregnant mothers or infants received the recommended vitamin D supplementation. Each infant presented in heart failure and required inotropic support as well as calcium and vitamin D replacement. Cardiac function subsequently improved. This highlights the public health issue that many high risk pregnant mothers and infants are not receiving the recommended vitamin D supplementation.