“English Disease”: Historical Notes on Rickets, the Bone–Lung Link and Child Neglect Issues

Abstract

Nutritional or classical rickets (here labeled as “rickets”) is a worldwide disease involving mostly infants and young children having inadequate sunlight exposure, often associated with a low dietary intake of Vitamin D. Rickets targets all layers of society independently of economic status with historical information spanning more than two millennia. Vitamin D is critical for the absorption of calcium and prevention of rickets in children as well as osteomalacia in adults. The initial and misleading paradigm of the 19th and 20th centuries that rickets may have been the consequence of infection has been, indeed, reversed following the identification of the Vitamin D molecule’s important role in the function of the immune system. Although traditionally considered limited to osteopathology, Vitamin D deficiency is now known to be linked to infection, inflammation, and carcinogenesis. In this review, we consider the key historical (Whistler, pre-Whistler and post-Whistler descriptors) and social facts around rickets; highlight the osteo-pathological features of rickets and the pathology of the upper and lower respiratory tract, stressing the fact that lungs remain the main secondary organ affected by Vitamin D deficiency; and emphasize the public health role in identifying the cases of child neglect or abuse based on the evaluation of the costochondral region.

Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Toxicity in Children: A Potential and Current Toxicological Event in the Differential Diagnosis With Virus-Triggered Fulminant Hepatic Failure

“…Sadly, the side effects of such nutrition are often overshadowed on both professional publications and social media. The resurgence of nutritional rickets in the 21 st century may be associated, at least partially, to some vegan and vegetarian diet imposed on children by parents belonging to specific communities, no matter which faith they profess (Zhang et al, 2016;Antonucci et al, 2018;Yang et al, 2019). The histopathology of "green tea" or better green tea extracts-associated toxicity in children is poorly known.…”

Pediatrics: An Evolving Concept for the 21st Century

“…Federal and state programs multiplied and, progressively, pediatricians and children's hospitals also surfaced as the ideal supply of healthcare for children. The improvement of nutrition and treatment of rickets were also crucial and the results of these efforts during the last century have been impressive in all states consolidating the concept of pediatric healthcare in other countries, such as Canada, as well [31]. Digitalization of the imaging in radiology and pathology is a reality in several healthcare institutions worldwide [32,33].…”

Vitamin D in children with allergy

“…Роль витамина D в гомеостазе и метаболизме кальция хорошо изучена [12], быстро пополняются познания о его участии в модуляции иммунного ответа и воспаления [13,14]. Большое число научных работ свидетельствует о связи повсеместного дефицита витамина D с атопией у детей [15][16][17].…”