Correlation between serum vitamin D level and acute invasive enteritis in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Nutritional Immunology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Diarrhea is a major global child mortality cause.
• Vitamin D deficiency compromises pathogen clearance and intestinal barrier function.
• Vitamin D deficiency exacerbates intestinal inflammation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between serum vitamin D levels and acute invasive enteritis in children.
• To identify risk factors for invasive enteritis in young children.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study of 82 children (1-3 years) with acute invasive enteritis and 80 healthy controls.
• Collected fecal and blood samples for routine tests, C-reactive protein, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels.
• Utilized multifactorial logistic regression to analyze influencing factors.

Main Results:

• Children with invasive enteritis had significantly lower serum 25-OHD levels (27.95 ± 9.91 ng/mL) compared to controls (32.76 ± 10.23 ng/mL).
• Lower rates of regular vitamin D supplementation and reduced outdoor activity duration were observed in the study group.
• Multivariate analysis revealed exclusive breastfeeding, increased outdoor activity, and regular vitamin D supplementation were associated with reduced invasive enteritis risk.

Conclusions:

• Low serum 25-OHD levels are associated with acute invasive enteritis in children aged 1-3 years.
• Consistent vitamin D supplementation and adequate outdoor activity may offer protection against invasive enteritis.