nutritional disorders
Vitamin D Deficiency and Dependency
Key Points
Vitamin Ddeficiency is common and results from inadequate exposure to sunlight and inadequate dietary intake (usually occurring together) and/or from chronic kidney disease. The deficiency can cause muscle aches and weakness, bone pain, and osteomalacia. Suspectvitamin Ddeficiency in patients who have little exposure to sunlight and a low dietary intake, typical symptoms and signs (eg, rickets, muscle aches, bone pain), or bone demineralization seen on x-rays. To confirm the diagnosis, measure the level of 25(OH)D (D2+D3). To treatvitamin Ddeficiency, correct deficiencies of calcium and phosphate and give supplementalvitamin D. 