Rickets is a nutritional disorder which is caused either by deficiency of vitamin D or by defective activation of vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency rickets, the most common form of rickets, is caused by inadequate intake of vitamin D and/or
deficient
exposure to sunlight. Rickets affects the mineralization of growing bones, which results in various bony deformities and growth defect. In addition, it occasionally causes hypocalcemia and, therefore, tetany or convulsion in a few patients
We recently experienced three patients who had vitamin d deficiency rickets and developed hypocalcemic tetany. All of them exhibited decreased serum calcium concentrations, increased alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone levels, and
decreased
serum vitmin D concentrations. We successfully controlled their convulsions with intravenous and oral calcium agents, and treated rickets with oral administration of alfacacidol, an activated form of vitamin D.
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