Introduction: Children with short bowel syndrome (SBS) are prone to have vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency due to poor oral intake, malabsorption. In this study, we evaluated vitamin D status of pediatric patients with SBS receiving home parenteral nutrition (PN)

Methods: During two years of study period, we retrospectively reviewed pediatric patients with SBS who had been on home PN for more than six months. Vitamin D level (25-hydroxyvitamin D, 25-OHD) was checked on routine outpatient visit and categorized into normal, insufficiency, or deficiency.

Results: Eighteen patients with SBS included. There were fifteen patients with vitamin D deficiency at least once during study period, and two patients with vitamin D insufficiency. No difference in risk of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency according to the primary cause of SBS. Followed by supplement of vitamin D, the 25-OHD level of 40% of vitamin D deficiency group had been shown improvement to insufficient status. The rest of patients received high oral doses of vitamin D yet remained in deficient status.

Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are common in children with SBS on home PN. Routine surveillance and high dose oral supplement are important for these patients. Large multicenter research is needed to establish the optimal method and dose of vitamin D supplement.