Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

Background: Vitamin D has a vital effect on calcium and phosphor hemostasis and bone formation. Deficiency of vitamin D causes rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Vit. D has a regulatory effect on immune system. This vitamin has inhibitory effect on cytokines and stimulates production of antimicrobial peptides. Recent studies have shown that rickets and even subclinical insufficiency of vit. D has a direct relation with pneumonia. This study was done in purpose of evaluation of vit. D serum level in small children with pneumonia.

Methods: This is a descriptive study. The personal data’s of 50 children between 2 and 59 months old who were hospitalized due to pneumonia (name, age, sex, weight and height) and their vaccination, nutrition (breast milk) and measured serum vit. D level were recorded and analyzed.

Results: The mean of serum vit.D level was 31.78±1.75. The vit. D level in 22 patients was less than 30ng/ml (44% insufficiency or deficiency) and in 28 patients (56%) it was more than 30ng/ml. 5 patients had vit.D level under 10ng/ml (severe deficiency in 10%). This study did not show any relation between vit. D level and severity of pneumonia or duration of hospitalization.

Conclusion: This study shows that the mean of serum vit. D level in children with pneumonia is significantly low. But it needs to do a study with normal control group for comparing their mean vit.D level.