Vitamin D status and bone mineralization markers in children with Cerebral Palsy attending Tertiary rehabilitation clinics in Kampala. A cross-sectional study.

Background: Children diagnosed with cerebral palsy are more prone to experiencing highly painful fractures that could have been avoided, mainly due to significantly diminished bone mineral density. The study aims to determine the relationship between vitamin D status and bone mineralization markers in children with CP attending the tertiary rehabilitation clinics in Kampala. Methodology: This study employed a cross-sectional analytical design. Data were entered and analyzed using STATA version 16. Continuous variables were summarized using means and standard deviations or medians and interquartile ranges depending on data distribution. Categorical variables were summarized using frequencies and percentages. Results: MUAC was significant (P=0.0027). ANOVA showed significant differences in parathyroid hormone (PTH) (F = 4.62, p = 0.013) and alkaline phosphatase (F = 3.95, p = 0.022) across vitamin D status categories. No significant differences were observed for calcium, phosphorus, or magnesium. Correlation analysis showed vitamin D was positively correlated with calcium (r = 0.32, p = 0.004) and negatively correlated with PTH (r = −0.28, p = 0.012) and alkaline phosphatase (r = −0.21, p = 0.046). Robust regression showed significant inverse associations between vitamin D and PTH (β = −0.27, p = 0.004) and alkaline phosphatase (β = −0.18, p = 0.021), while associations with calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium were not significant. Conclusion: Vitamin D status is associated with PTH and alkaline phosphatase, indicating its relevance to mineralization among children with cerebral palsy. Recommendation: Caregivers of children with cerebral palsy should be advised on the importance of safe and adequate sunlight exposure as part of routine care to improve vitamin D status.