Vitamin D status in a sample of preschool children aged from 1 to 6 years visiting the pediatrics clinic at Jordan university hospital

Vitamin D status was investigated in 200 children [100 males and 100 females] visiting the Pediatrics Clinic at Jordan University Hospital. Subjects were categorized into two age groups: 1-3 years [toddlers] and 3-6 years [preschool children]. Data were collected on children's lifestyle factors, dietary intake, height, weight and BMI. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D[3] [25 [OH] D[3]] concentration was determined. 16.5% of the children had vitamin D deficiency [serum 25 [OH] D3 ? 15 ng/mL], while 15.5% had vitamin D insufficiency [serum 25 [OH] D[3] from 15 to 20 ng/mL]. Serum 25 [OH] D[3] levels for the toddlers [26.25 +/- 1.16] were significantly higher [P<0.05] than those of the preschool children [21.49 +/- 1.16]. Serum 25 [OH] D[3] was significantly higher [P<0.05] for exclusively formula-fed children [27.42 +/- 0.86] or children with mixed feeding [26.69 +/- 0.92] than for those who were exclusively breast-fed [17.02 +/- 0.90]. Also, serum 25 [OH] D[3] levels were positively correlated with the duration of formula feeding [r = 0.4849, P<0.0001], duration of outdoor physical activity [r = 0.3940, P<0.0001], monthly frequency of outdoor physical activity [r = 0.61087, P<0.0001], and vitamin D [r = 0.4678, p<0.0001] and calcium [r =0.4951, p<0.0001] intakes. However, serum 25 [OH] D[3] levels were negatively correlated with duration of breast feeding [r = -0.3554, P<0.0001] and BMI [r = -0.4235; P<0.0001]. It is concluded that hypovitaminosis D is common in preschool children and that lifestyle conditions influence vitamin D status

Spontaneous transverse mesocolic hernia with transverse colon obstruction

A case of spontaneous transverse mesocolic hernia, associated with secondary amyloidosis, is presented. The points of particular interest are: [1] The presentation of the patient with chronic intermittent colonic obstruction, [2] The unusual mobility of the right colon, [3] The association of secondary amyloidosis with chronic intermittent obstruction and symptomatic improvement after repair of the hernia. Hernias through the mesentery are rare. Herniation through the mesentery of transverse mesocolon accounts for only 16 percent of the cases[1]. Fewer than 85 spontaneous transverse mesocolic hernias have been reported and most of them before 1949[2-4]. This patient presented with chronic large bowel obstruction associated with generalized amyloidosis