What is it about?
Vitamin D deficiency(VDD) is a common health problem among children under-5 years in developing countries. Childhood pneumonia is also a main killer of children despite introduction of new vaccines because pneumonia has multiple causes. Previous studies reported the association of VDD including clinical rickets with severe pneumonia This study investigate the association of VDD with the outcome of severe pneumonia.
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Why is it important?
Treatment failure occurred in 24 cases of which 21(87.5%) were rachitic. Treatment failure was significantly higher in the rachitic severe pneumonia compared to non-rachitic (20.6% vs. 6%). VDD was strongly associated with reduced circulating neutrophils count and oxygen saturation compared to severe pneumonia cases without VDD. Adequate vitamin D supplement increases vitamin D receptors(VDR) in the body. VDR send early signals to the immune system to prevent pathogens invading the respiratory system.
Perspectives
The role of vitamin D in preventing pathogens(bacteria & viruses) has been recently recognized. Adequate blood levels indicate adequate VDR and protection against pathogens that can cause pneumonia that are not vaccine preventable.In 1997, we reported that nutritional rickets, the severest form of VDD, as a significant risk of both severe pneumonia and death outcome. Vitamin D supplement needs to be part of interventions to prevent and treat severe childhood pneumonia.
Dr Salem M Banajeh
Sana'a University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Nutritional rickets and vitamin D deficiency-association with the outcomes of childhood very severe pneumonia: A prospective cohort study, Pediatric Pulmonology, November 2009, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1002/ppul.21121.
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