Fall in Vitamin D Levels during Hospitalization in Children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Clinical Chemistry
• Hospital Medicine

Background:

• Vitamin D deficiency is a growing concern in pediatric populations.
• Hospitalized children may be at increased risk due to various factors.
• Understanding vitamin D dynamics during hospitalization is essential for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels in hospitalized children from admission to discharge.
• To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency at different time points during hospitalization.
• To explore potential associations between vitamin D status and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• Plasma 25(OH)D levels were measured using competitive Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA).
• 92 children (aged 3 months to 12 years) were assessed at hospital admission (T1) and discharge (T2).
• Statistical analysis was performed to compare vitamin D levels and identify correlations.

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in mean 25(OH)D levels was observed from T1 (71.87 ± 27.25 nmol/L) to T2 (49.03 ± 22.25 nmol/L).
• The proportion of children with vitamin D deficiency (<50 nmol/L) significantly increased from 25% at admission to 51.09% at discharge.
• Trends suggested a possible link between vitamin D deficiency and longer hospital stays, ventilation, inotropes, infections, and mortality, though not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• Vitamin D levels decline significantly during pediatric hospitalization.
• Routine monitoring of vitamin D status in hospitalized children is recommended.
• Further large-scale clinical studies are needed to evaluate the impact of vitamin D supplementation on outcomes in deficient pediatric patients.