ABSTRACT
Objective: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are an important public health problem leading to high mortality and morbidity rates in children. Vitamin D (vitD) deficiency has been found associated with rickets/osteomalacia, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular system diseases and infectious diseases. Growing evidence demonstrated that vitD has a key role in cellular and humoral immunity and also pulmonary functions. Therefore, we aimed to assess the association between vitD deficiency and severity of LRITs in children.
Methods: Hundred and eighteen children aged between six months and five years with LRTIs were enrolled in this study. Wood-Downes scale (0–10 points; mild < 3, moderate 4–7, severe > 8) was used to define the severity of LRITs. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum levels of 25-(OH) vitamin D < 20 ng/mL.
Results: The prevalence of vitD deficiency was found 55.9% in our study population. Indoor smoking, inadequate breastfeeding, and the vitD deficiency was found independent predictors of severe LRTIs.
Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was found independent predictor of severe LRTIs. Vitamin D deficiency should be kept in mind one of the preventable causes of LRTIs.
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