Skip to main page content
Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2013 Aug;57(3):392-7.
doi: 10.1093/cid/cit289. Epub 2013 May 15.

Low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and risk of upper respiratory tract infection in children and adolescents

Michelle Science  1 , Jonathon L Maguire, Margaret L Russell, Marek Smieja, Stephen D Walter, Mark Loeb
Affiliations
Free PMC article

Low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and risk of upper respiratory tract infection in children and adolescents

Michelle Science et al. Clin Infect Dis. 2013 Aug.
Free PMC article

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D may be important for immune function. Studies to date have shown an inconsistent association between vitamin D and infection with respiratory viruses. The purpose of this study was to determine if serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was associated with laboratory-confirmed viral respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in children.

Methods: Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured at baseline and children from Canadian Hutterite communities were followed prospectively during the respiratory virus season. Nasopharyngeal specimens were obtained if symptoms developed and infections were confirmed using polymerase chain reaction. The association between serum 25(OH)D and time to laboratory-confirmed viral RTI was evaluated using a Cox proportional hazards model.

Results: Seven hundred forty-three children aged 3-15 years were followed between 22 December 2008 and 23 June 2009. The median serum 25(OH)D level was 62.0 nmol/L (interquartile range, 51.0-74.0). A total of 229 participants (31%) developed at least 1 laboratory-confirmed viral RTI. Younger age and lower serum 25(OH)D levels were associated with increased risk of viral RTI. Serum 25(OH)D levels <75 nmol/L increased the risk of viral RTI by 50% (hazard ratio [HR], 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-2.07, P = .011) and levels <50 nmol/L increased the risk by 70% (HR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.16-2.40, P = .006).

Conclusions: Lower serum 25(OH)D levels were associated with increased risk of laboratory-confirmed viral RTI in children from Canadian Hutterite communities. Interventional studies evaluating the role of vitamin D supplementation to reduce the burden of viral RTIs are warranted.

Keywords: cold; serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D; upper respiratory tract infection; vitamin D.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Time to laboratory-confirmed viral infection by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level (<50 nmol/L vs ≥50 nmol/L), adjusted for age and sex. Abbreviation: 25(OH)D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Time to laboratory-confirmed viral infection by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level (<75 nmol/L vs ≥75 nmol/L), adjusted for age and sex. Abbreviation: 25(OH)D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Fendrick AM, Monto AS, Nightengale B, Sarnes M. The economic burden of non-influenza-related viral respiratory tract infection in the United States. Arch Intern Med. 2003;163:487–94. - PubMed
    1. Quach C, Piche-Walker L, Platt R, Moore D. Risk factors associated with severe influenza infections in childhood: implication for vaccine strategy. Pediatrics. 2003;112(3 Pt 1):e197–201. - PubMed
    1. Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's principles and practice of infectious diseases. Philadelphia, PA: Churchhill Livingstone, 2010.
    1. Wang TT, Nestel FP, Bourdeau V, et al. Cutting edge: 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 is a direct inducer of antimicrobial peptide gene expression. J Immunol. 2004;173:2909–12. - PubMed
    1. Liu PT, Stenger S, Li H, et al. Toll-like receptor triggering of a vitamin D-mediated human antimicrobial response. Science. 2006;311:1770–3. - PubMed

Publication types