ANALYSIS OF SERUM CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS IN RICKETS AND NON RICKETS CHILDREN OF GONIN-GORA, KASO AND JANKASA COMMUNITIES IN KADUNA STATE

ANALYSIS OF SERUM CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS IN RICKETS AND NON RICKETS CHILDREN OF GONIN-GORA, KASO AND JANKASA COMMUNITIES IN KADUNA STATE

Abstract:

The beginning of the 20th century witnessed the epidemic of nutritional rickets among children in many countries of Asia, North America, Northern Europe and Africa. Nutritional rickets remain a problem in developing countries despite a decline in the prevalence of the condition in developed countries. Prevalence of rickets among infants and young children is high in Nigeria and in Gonin-Gora, Jankasa and Kaso in particular. It was therefore imperative to evaluate some biochemical parameters in rickets disease prevalence areas of Kaduna state namely: Gonin Gora, Jankasa and Kaso. This study aimed at determining the serum levels of calcium and phosphorus together with the levels of associated biochemical parameters for the affected family member in these communities; as an investigation into the scourge of rickets. Randox Diagnostic test kit was used to determine the serum levels of calcium and urea while creatinine and phosphorus serum levels were measured using Agappe Diagnostic kit, serum sodium and potassium levels were determined using flame photometric method. The results obtained showed that serum calcium levels were low with mean values of 2.29± 0.01 S.E.M., 2.34+ 0.01 S.E.M and 2.24 ± 0.01 S.E.M in Gonin Gora, Jankasa and Kaso respectively compared with the 2.25-2.75 mmol/l normal limit. Phosphorous levels were toward the upper limit with mean values of 1.48 ± 0.02 S.E.M and 1.68 ± 0.02 S.E.M in Gonin gora and Jankasa respectively; compared with the normal limit of 0.8-1.9 mmol/l. However the mean serum calcium for rickets children from Kaso community (2.19 ± 0.03S.E.M) was below the normal range value of (2.25-2.75mmol/dL). None of the differences in measured levels was statistically significant. Rickets among rural children has been reported to be attributed to low serum calcium levels. The low serum levels of calcium and high serum phosphorus levels could be the major causes of the disease in these settlements especially during the period of the children growth. Also when the mean biochemical vii parameters for Gonin-Gora, Jankasa and Kaso were compared, the results showed that calcium levels was much more significantly reduced in Kaso compared with the other two communities, and this could be the reason why more rickets children were found in Kaso compared to Gonin-Gora and Jankasa. The results of influence of sex among the rickets and non rickets males and females children showed that, sex had no significant influence in the parameters of rickets male and females children living in Gonin-Gora, Jankasa and Kaso communities. In conclusion, the concentrations of serum calcium for rickets children were at the lower limit of normal range while the concentration of serum phosphorus were at the higher limit of the normal range which can be attributed to rickets disorder among children.

ANALYSIS OF SERUM CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS IN RICKETS AND NON RICKETS CHILDREN OF GONIN-GORA, KASO AND JANKASA COMMUNITIES IN KADUNA STATE

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