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25-Hydroxyvitamin D supplementation and health-service utilization for upper respiratory tract infection in young
Jessica A Omand1, Teresa To2, Deborah L O'Connor3
11Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute,St. Michael's Hospital,209 Victoria Street,Toronto,ON,Canada,M5B 1T8.
Insights
This study found no significant link between vitamin D levels or supplementation and healthcare use for childhood upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). Vitamin D may not reduce healthcare visits for these common childhood illnesses.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) are a leading cause of childhood illness and healthcare expenditure.
- Low vitamin D levels have been proposed as a potential risk factor for URTI in children.
- Understanding factors influencing URTI-related health service utilization (HSU) is crucial for public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and HSU for URTI in children aged 0-5 years.
- To examine if oral vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy or childhood impacts HSU for URTI.
- To determine if vitamin D status influences hospital admissions, emergency department visits, or outpatient sick visits for URTI.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study involving 4962 healthy children (aged 0-5 years) in Toronto, Canada, between 2008 and 2013.
- Health administrative databases were used to track HSU for URTI, including hospital admissions and various types of visits.
- Multivariable quasi Poisson regression analysis was employed to assess the relationship between vitamin D levels, supplementation, and HSU for URTI.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant association was found between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and HSU for URTI.
- Oral vitamin D supplementation (in pregnancy or childhood) did not show a significant association with reduced HSU for URTI.
- The study included a large cohort with a mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of 84 nmol/l, with varying levels of HSU for URTI.
Conclusions:
- Clinically meaningful associations between vitamin D status and HSU for URTI were not identified in this cohort.
- While vitamin D may offer other health benefits, it does not appear to reduce health service utilization for childhood upper respiratory tract infections.
- Further research may be needed to explore other potential roles of vitamin D in pediatric health beyond URTI prevention.
Objective:
Upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) are the most common and costly condition of childhood. Low vitamin D levels have been hypothesized as a risk factor for URTI. The primary objective was to determine if serum vitamin D levels were associated with health-service utilization (HSU) for URTI including hospital admission, emergency department visits and outpatient sick visits. The secondary objectives were to determine whether oral vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy or childhood was associated with HSU for URTI.
Design:
Cohort study. HSU was determined by linking each child's provincial health insurance number to health administrative databases. Multivariable quasi Poisson regression was used to evaluate the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D, vitamin D supplementation and HSU for URTI.
Setting:
Toronto, Canada.
Subjects:
Children participating in the TARGet Kids! network between 2008 and 2013.
Results:
Healthy children aged 0-5 years (n 4962) were included; 52 % were male and mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D was 84 nmol/l (range 11-355 nmol/l). There were 105 (2 %), 721 (15 %) and 3218 (65 %) children with at least one hospital admission, emergency department visit or outpatient sick visit for URTI, respectively. There were no statistically significant associations between 25-hydroxyvitamin D or vitamin D supplementation and HSU for URTI.
Conclusions:
A clinically meaningful association between vitamin D (continuously and dichotomized at <50 and <75 nmol/l) and HSU for URTI was not identified. While vitamin D may have other benefits for health, reducing HSU for URTI does not appear to be one of them.
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