Vitamin D deficiency and low hemoglobin level as risk factors for severity of acute lower respiratory tract infections in Egyptian children: A case-control study

Abstract Objective Acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) is an important cause of morbidity in the developed world, and both morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Vitamin D has a major role in both acquired and innate immunity. Anemic children have less oxygen carrying capacity of blood. This study was done to determine the relation between vitamin D deficiency, anemia and the severity of ALRTIs in hospitalized children. Methods This study included 96 hospitalized infants with ALRTI, 48 diagnosed with pneumonia and 48 with bronchiolitis. Mean age was 10.67 ± 3.143 months. Matched age and sex infants with no respiratory illness were included. Serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D was measured in all cases and controls by Radio-immune assay. Hemoglobin level was measured by Coulter. Results Vitamin D deficiency and low hemoglobin level were positively correlated with the severity of ALRTIs ( r  = 0.798 and P  = 0.001) and ( r  = 0.708, P  = 0.028), respectively. Low vitamin D level was significantly correlated with low hemoglobin level ( r  = 0.708, P  = 0.028). Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency was associated with severity of ALRTIs. Low hemoglobin level was more prevalent in those children. Improving the nutritional status in children by preventing vitamin D deficiency and low hemoglobin might influence the outcome of children with ALRTI.