COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF VITAMIN D STATUS IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM RECURRENT RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

Abstract

Relevance. Vitamin D has a wide range of biological effects. The immunomodulatory properties of this vitamin and the higher incidence rate of respiratory infections against the background of its lack are of particular interest. Objective to determine the relationship between 25-hydroxycalciferol serum concentration, the main parameters of clinical blood test, the particular features of undifferentiated connective tissue dysplasia and the burden indicators of acute respiratory infections among preschool children. Materials and methods. Seventy-four children (34 boys and 40 girls) aged one to six years old, undergoing inpatient treatment on acute respiratory infection, were involved in the clinical study. Two markers of acute respiratory infections recurrence (infectious index, resistance index) and dolichostenomelia integral indicator were calculated in the patients. The main erythrocyte and platelet parameters of clinical blood test and 25-hydroxycalciferol serum concentration were quantified as well. Results. The inverse interdependence was revealed between the resistance index and the variation coefficient of erythrocytes in terms of their volume (ρ =-0,312; p=0,011). The regression dependence of infectious index on the dolichostenomelia integral indicator was found. The results obtained gave preconditions for further research on the problem of recurrent respiratory infections in pediatric practice. Conclusions. The examined children, who had lower categorical levels of 25-hydroxycalciferol concentration, also had higher maximum body temperature against the background of acute inflammatory process in respiratory system (H=10,079; p=0,018). The highly close relationship was established between the distribution categories of the patients according to the concentration of 25-hydroxycalciferol and the value of dolichostenomelia integral indicator (φс=0,624; p=0,004). The inverse moderate correlation was found between the concentration of 25-hydroxycalciferol and the resistance index (ρ=-0,347; p=0,043). Partial correlation analysis showed the interdependence of 25-hydroxycalciferol concentration with platelets number (ρ(xy-z)=0,336; p=0,048) and platelet Crit value (ρ(xy-z)=0,342; p=0,043) without taking into account the patients’ age.