The Relationship between Bronchiolitis Severity and Vitamin D Status.
- Resource Type
- Academic Journal
- Authors
- Alakaş Y; Department of Pediatrics, University of Medical Sciences, Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Adana 01230, Turkey.; Celiloğlu C; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Endocrinology Department, Çukurova University, Adana 01250, Turkey.; Tolunay O; Department of Pediatrics, University of Medical Sciences, Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Adana 01230, Turkey.; Matyar S; Department of Biochemistry, University of Medical Sciences, Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Adana 01230, Turkey.
- Source
- Publisher: Oxford University Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 8010948 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1465-3664 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 01426338 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Trop Pediatr Subsets: MEDLINE
- Subject
- Language
- English
Background/aim: Acute bronchiolitis is mostly caused by viral agents in children under 2 years of age. The disease mostly has a mild clinical course however severe cases are not uncommon. Vitamin D is known to exert immune-regulatory functions. We aimed to examine the association between the clinical severity of acute bronchiolitis and serum vitamin D levels in infants.
Materials and Methods: A total of 182 children with acute bronchiolitis were prospectively enrolled. The disease severity was assessed using the Modified Tal Scoring System and their vitamin D levels were evaluated.
Results: Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency was as high as 47.8% in infants with bronchiolitis. Infants with low vitamin D levels comprised a significantly larger proportion of patients with severe bronchiolitis (p = 0.002). Infants admitted to intensive care unit had significantly higher degrees of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is closely linked with severe bronchiolitis and the need for intensive care unit admission in infants. We believe that assessment of vitamin D levels in infants prior to bronchiolitis season and appropriate supplementation may have a protective effect against severe bronchiolitis.
(© The Author(s) [2021]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)