%A Karen S Leis, J Dayre McNally, Matthew R Montgomery, Koravangattu Sankaran, Chandima Karunanayake, Alan M Rosenberg %T Vitamin D intake in young children with acute lower respiratory infection %0 Journal Article %D 2012 %J CJCP %R %P 1-6 %V 14 %N 1 %U http://www.zgddek.com %8 2012-01-15 %X

OBJECTIVE: To determine if vitamin D intake is associated with acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) in children. METHODS: The vitamin D intakes of children younger than 5 years of age admitted to hospital with either bronchiolitis or pneumonia were compared to an unmatched control group of the same age without respiratory infection. Caregivers of 197 children completed a questionnaire collecting information on demographic variables, ALRI risk factors and diet. Associations of ALRI with vitamin D intake and other ALRI risk factors were determined. RESULTS: The mean vitamin D intake of children with ALRI was 48 IU/kg/d compared to 60 IU/kg/d in the control group. When controlling for age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, northern residence, breastfeeding, immunizations and smoking contact, children with a vitamin D intake of less than 80 IU/kg/d were greater than 4 times more likely to have ALRI compared to children with a vitamin D intake exceeding 80 IU/kg/d (OR=4.9; 95%CI: 1.5~16.4). CONCLUSIONS: A higher vitamin D intake than currently recommended might be needed to offer protection against diseases such as ALRI. Increased vitamin D supplementation could have important public health consequences, as bronchiolitis and pneumonia are the most common reasons for hospitalization in young children. (Full English version will be available online at www.amepc.org/tp.)