Abstract
The association between vitamin D status and susceptibility to acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI) was studied in young Canadian children. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were measured in patients aged 1–25 months admitted to hospital with uncomplicated ALRI (primarily viral bronchiolitis) as well as in healthy, similarly aged patients without a history of hospitalization for ALRI (controls). Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were similar among cases and controls (77.0 versus 77.2 nmol l−1; P=0.960), and there was no case–control difference in the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency using two thresholds (<40 nmol l−1: 4.7 versus 1.5%, P=0.365; <80 nmol l−1: 51.6 versus 56.9%, P=0.598). Vitamin D status was not associated with the risk of hospitalization for ALRI in this population.
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Acknowledgements
We thank the following people for contributing to the completion of this study: the children and families who participated; Tineke Chatargoon, Tameeza Chatur, Kelly Speer (study nurses); Dr John Koller and the paediatric anaesthesiologists at the Stollery Children's Hospital; Ben Vandermeer (biostatistician, Department of Pediatrics); Andrea Patrick (administrative support); Dr Catherine Field.
Funding sources: Complementary and Alternative Research and Education (CARE) Program, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta; Trainee Research Grant, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta. Dr Vohra and Dr Roth are supported by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.
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Contributors: DER led the study conception, design, conduct, data analysis and manuscript preparation. ABJ, JLR and SV contributed to study design and manuscript preparation. CP performed the laboratory analyses, and contributed to study design and manuscript preparation. SV was DER's MSc supervisor during this study.
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Roth, D., Jones, A., Prosser, C. et al. Vitamin D status is not associated with the risk of hospitalization for acute bronchiolitis in early childhood. Eur J Clin Nutr 63, 297–299 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602946
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602946
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