Acute lower respiratory tract infection and vitamin d status in children

Childhood acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) is one of the most common reason for morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Predisposing factors for ALRI include age (<1), low birth weight and prematurity, malnutrition, underlying disease, vitamin D deficiency, non-breast-feeding, lower socioeconomic status, tobacco exposure, air pollution, suboptimal immunization and season.It is known that vitamin D deficiency causes infection diseases. Vitamin D deficiency is defined as 25(OH)D < 20 ng/ml, vitamin D insufficiency is defined as 25(OH)D 21-30 ng/ml. Normal level of vitamin D is > 30 ng/ml. The incidence of vitamin D deficiency in 1-16 years old children was found 8% and insufficiency 25,5 % in a study in Turkey.In this study we aimed to describe vitamin D status in children with lower respiratory infection. The study is performed between December 2010 and February 2011. 6 months-5 years old 63 children with acute lower respiratory infection and 59 age matched children without respiratory symptom for last month, who had applied to Gazi University Hospital were enrolled the study. Both study and control groups received vitamin D prophylaxis for one year and they had no predisposing factors for ALRI. It was determined that vitamin D deficiency is 25 % and vitamin D insufficiency is 22% in all of the children who enrolled the study. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency was 31 % and 19% in study group and 19% and 25% in control groups. Statistically, no difference was found in terms of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in study and control groups (p>0.05). In study group no difference was determined between vitamin D status of the patients in physical examination, laboratory results and needs for antibiotics, hospitalization and intensive care hospitalization. In the patient group 17 patients diagnosed to have ALRI recurrence, statistically significant difference was found between vitamin D status normal and insufficient patients (p=0,003).In conclusion although there was no association between vitamin D status and childhood ALRI, significant association was found between vitamin D status and ALRI recurrence. Larger serial studies are needed for precise results.