Role of Vitamin D [25(OH) D] Deficiency in Development of Pneumonia in Children

Background: Pneumonia is a leading cause of children’s morbidity and mortality worldwide. Some studies have reported that vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased incidence of lower respiratory illness requiring hospitalization. Objectives: Due to the weather conditions of Guilan province, Iran, in this study, weaimed at determining the relationship between serum level of vitamin D and developing pneumonia in children who were hospitalized due to pneumonia. Methods: In this case-control study, children aged 3 months to 5 years admitted in 17 Shahrivar hospital of Rasht, Iran, with pneumonia were compared with healthy children of the same age as the control group. Serum levels of vitamin D in both groups were measured by chemiluminescence method. Results: In this study, 40 children aged 3 months to 5 years with pneumonia (19 males and 21 females) and 40 healthy children of the same age (22 males and 18 females) were studied. The mean serum levels of vitamin D in the group with pneumonia and the control group was 26.1615.2 ng/mL and 30.4515.69 ng/mL, respectively. The difference between the 2 groups was not significant (t test, P value = 0.218). However, this difference was significant in the age group of 24 to 60 months (t test, P value = 0.015). Conclusions: In this study, a significant relationship was observed between children’s vitamin D serum levels and development of pneumonia, only at the age of 24 to 60 months, although high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in healthy children (control group) must be considered. The difference in the serum vitamin D levels of children with pneumonia and healthy children in the age group of 24 to 60 months suggest the need for preventive measures of vitamin D deficiency after infancy period.