The Association Between Vitamin D and Urinary Tract Infection in Children: A Case-Control Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Nutritional Immunology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common cause of fever in young children.
• Vitamin D plays a role in immune function, potentially influencing susceptibility to UTIs.
• Cathelicidin, an antimicrobial peptide modulated by vitamin D, is crucial for bladder immunity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between vitamin D deficiency and UTIs in children.
• To determine if vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for febrile UTIs in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 82 children with febrile UTIs and 82 healthy controls (ages 1-5 years).
• Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels were measured and categorized based on deficiency (<30 ng/mL).
• Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-square test, and multiple logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Mean serum vitamin D levels were significantly lower in UTI patients (24.27 ±9.70 ng/mL) compared to controls (31.97 ±10.7 ng/mL) (p<0.001).
• Vitamin D deficiency was found in 41.5% of UTI cases versus 2.2% of controls (p<0.001).
• A significant association was observed between vitamin D deficiency and febrile UTIs.

Conclusions:

• Vitamin D deficiency is strongly associated with febrile urinary tract infections in children aged one to five years.
• Low vitamin D levels may represent a significant risk factor for developing UTIs in this age group.
• Further research into vitamin D supplementation for UTI prevention in children is warranted.