Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China.
Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health, The Affiliated Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China.
BMC Pediatr. 2024 Nov 6;24(1):703. doi: 10.1186/s12887-024-05195-y.
Vitamin K (VK), an essential fat-soluble nutrient, exists in two primary forms, vitamin K1 (VK1), and vitamin K2 (VK2). VK1 plays an essential role in blood coagulation, while VK2 plays a crucial role in managing bone calcification, supporting bone strength and health. However, comprehensive epidemiological data on VK remains sparse, particularly in children. This study aims to evaluate the levels and characteristics of VK in children of Wenzhou area, China.
A total of 3,342 children undergoing routine physical examinations in the outpatient department from December 2020 to August 2022 were recruited. The levels of VK (including VK1 and menaquinones (MK-4), a major form of VK2) and 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) in fasting serum samples from these children were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The study analyzed the levels and distribution of VK and 25(OH)D across different sex, age, and weight groups, and explored their potential related factors.
The median serum levels of MK-4 and VK1 were 0.12 (0.07, 0.21) ng/ml and 0.33 (0.18, 0.57) ng/ml, respectively. The reference ranges of MK-4 and VK1 were 0.01-0.58 ng/ml and 0.03-1.48 ng/ml, respectively. The median serum 25(OH)D level was 21.26 (17.30, 25.35) ng/ml. Moreover, there were no significant variations in the levels of MK-4 and VK1 across different age and sex groups. The level of MK-4 in the underweight group was significantly higher than that in the normal weight group. MK-4 level reached its peak in summer, while the VK1 concentration was at its lowest. Furthermore, a very weak positive correlation was revealed between MK-4 and VK1 levels.
In this study, we defined the median values and reference ranges of MK-4 and VK1 in a sample of Chinese children aged 0-18 years. MK-4 levels were higher in underweight children. Both MK-4 and VK1 levels exhibited seasonal variations. Further research is needed to explore the factors affecting MK-4 and VK1 levels.
维生素 K（VK）是一种必需的脂溶性营养素，主要有两种形式，维生素 K1（VK1）和维生素 K2（VK2）。VK1 在血液凝固中起着至关重要的作用，而 VK2 则在管理骨钙化、维持骨骼强度和健康方面发挥着关键作用。然而，关于 VK 的综合流行病学数据仍然很少，尤其是在儿童中。本研究旨在评估中国温州地区儿童的 VK 水平和特征。
本研究共纳入 2020 年 12 月至 2022 年 8 月在门诊接受常规体检的 3342 名儿童。采用高效液相色谱-串联质谱法检测这些儿童空腹血清中 VK（包括 VK1 和menaquinones（MK-4），VK2 的主要形式）和 25-羟维生素 D（25（OH）D）的水平。本研究分析了不同性别、年龄和体重组中 VK 和 25（OH）D 的水平和分布，并探讨了它们的潜在相关因素。
MK-4 和 VK1 的血清中位数水平分别为 0.12（0.07，0.21）ng/ml 和 0.33（0.18，0.57）ng/ml。MK-4 和 VK1 的参考范围分别为 0.01-0.58 ng/ml 和 0.03-1.48 ng/ml。25（OH）D 的血清中位数水平为 21.26（17.30，25.35）ng/ml。此外，不同年龄和性别组之间 MK-4 和 VK1 的水平没有明显差异。体重不足组的 MK-4 水平明显高于正常体重组。MK-4 水平在夏季达到峰值，而 VK1 浓度则处于最低水平。此外，MK-4 和 VK1 水平之间存在非常微弱的正相关。
在本研究中，我们确定了中国 0-18 岁儿童 MK-4 和 VK1 的中位数和参考范围。体重不足的儿童 MK-4 水平较高。MK-4 和 VK1 水平均存在季节性变化。需要进一步研究以探讨影响 MK-4 和 VK1 水平的因素。
