Correlation of vitamin D status, interleukin-6 level, and disease severity in children with pneumonia: A cross-sectional study

Pneumonia is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five. Recent study found that vitamin D deficiency increased risk of severe pneumonia. Vitamin D regulates the expression of interleukin (IL)-6. Studies about correlation of vitamin D status with IL-6 and disease severity were still limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of vitamin D status with IL-6 and disease severity according to the Pediatric Respiratory Severity Score (PRESS) score and World Health Organization (WHO) criteria in children aged 1-60 months with pneumonia. This study was a cross sectional study in children aged 1-60 months with pneumonia at Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital Surabaya. Examination of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, IL-6, and disease severity assessment using PRESS or WHO criteria were performed on the 1st day of hospitalization. The subjects divided into two groups according to 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 level; group 1 ( 30 ng/mL) or group 2( ≥30 ng/mL). Correlation between variables was performed using Chi-squared test and Mann-Withney U test. Statistical significance was considered as p 0.05.  Forty-five children were involved in this study, consisted of 30 (66.67%) boys and 15 (33.33%)  girls with median of age 10 (2-60) months. Mean  of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 level was 28.11±8.99 ng/mL. Median of IL-6 level was 47.51 (11.71-468.07) ng/L. Level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 had significant negative weak correlation with IL-6 (rs=-0.357, p=0.017), but did not correlate with disease severity according to PRESS score or WHO criteria. The results of this study showed that vitamin D status is correlated with IL-6 but not disease severity in children aged 1-60 months with pneumonia.