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Is vitamin D the missing link in recurrent urinary tract infections in children? A prospective study
1Izmir Dr. Behcet Uz Child Diseases and Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Department of Pediatric Urology, Health Sciences University, İsmet Kaptan Mh. Sezer Doğan Sok. No: 11 Konak, Izmir, Turkey. burakozcift@gmail.com.
Insights
Vitamin D deficiency is common in children with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). Supplementation improved vitamin D levels and reduced UTI frequency, suggesting it may be an effective preventative strategy.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Nutritional Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Vitamin D is crucial for immune system regulation.
- Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common pediatric concern.
- The role of vitamin D in UTI prevention requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of vitamin D supplementation on recurrent UTIs in children.
- To assess vitamin D levels in children with recurrent UTIs compared to healthy controls.
- To evaluate the efficacy of correcting vitamin D deficiency in preventing UTIs.
Main Methods:
- Prospective case-control study involving school-aged children.
- Comparison of serum vitamin D levels between recurrent UTI patients and healthy controls.
- Administration of vitamin D supplementation to UTI patients with pre- and post-supplementation monitoring.
Main Results:
- Children with recurrent UTIs showed a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (88.9%) compared to controls (36.8%).
- Vitamin D supplementation significantly increased serum vitamin D levels and reduced the proportion of deficient patients.
- A significant reduction in the median number of UTI episodes was observed post-supplementation.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin D deficiency is significantly more prevalent in children experiencing recurrent UTIs.
- Vitamin D supplementation effectively raises serum vitamin D levels and is linked to decreased UTI recurrence.
- Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels may offer a simple, effective approach to preventing recurrent UTIs in children.
Purpose:
Vitamin D plays an important role in immune regulation and may help prevent urinary tract infection (UTI). This study aimed to explore the impact of vitamin D supplementation on preventing recurrent UTI in children.
Methods:
This prospective case-control study included 18 school-aged children with recurrent UTI and 19 healthy children. Serum vitamin D levels were compared between the groups. Vitamin D supplementation was administered to children with recurrent UTI. Vitamin D concentrations before and after supplementation, and recurrence frequency during the study period, were evaluated.
Results:
The mean serum vitamin D levels in the patient group were lower than those in the healthy control group (15.89 ± 6.76 vs. 19.96 ± 10.08 ng/mL), but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.16). However, vitamin D deficiency was significantly more prevalent in the patient group (88.9% vs. 36.8%, p = 0.002). Serum vitamin D levels increased significantly after supplementation (15.89 ± 6.76 vs. 19.96 ± 8.77 ng/mL, p = 0.04) and the proportion of patients with vitamin D deficiency decreased significantly (%88.9 vs. %38.9, p = 0.004). The median number of UTI episodes declined significantly (2.0 vs. 1.5 episodes, p = 0.014).
Conclusion:
Vitamin D deficiency appears to be more common in children with recurrent UTI. Vitamin D supplementation significantly increased serum vitamin D levels and was associated with a reduction in recurrent UTI frequency based on a pre-post comparison within the patient group. Correcting vitamin D deficiency and maintaining adequate levels may be a simple and effective method for preventing recurrent UTI in school-aged children.
Trial Registration Number And Date Of Registration:
2021/605, 09.09.2021.
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