Vitamin D levels in children and adolescents are associated with coronavirus disease-2019 outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis
MD Ji-Gan Wang, PhD Hui-Hong Dou, MD Qiong-You Liang
Medicine, doi:10.1097/md.0000000000040245
Background: To explore the relationship between vitamin D levels and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its severity in children and adolescents, and provide a theoretical basis for clinical practice. Methods: The PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for comprehensive cohort and case-control studies on the association between childhood vitamin D deficiency and the risk and prognosis of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). The search period was set from December 1, 2019, to December 31, 2023.
Results: The vitamin D insufficiency rate in children with COVID-19 was 80.78% (95% CI, 62.6% to 93.89%), with a deficiency rate of 32% (95% CI: 19.01% to 46.61%). Vitamin D insufficiency was more common in children with COVID-19 than in healthy children (OR, 4.86; 95% CI: 2.56-9.26). The incidence of severe illness was higher (OR, 4.73; 95% CI: 1.39-16.11) whereas that of asymptomatic illness was lower (OR, 0.38; 95% CI: 0.38-0.81) in children with COVID-19 who had vitamin D insufficiency than in those who did not. Conclusions: Vitamin D insufficiency in children may increase the risk of COVID-19 infection and is associated with poor prognostic outcomes. Further research is required to confirm the optimal Vitamin D dose to prevent insufficiency in various sections of the population.
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'abstract': '<jats:sec>\n'
' <jats:title>Background:</jats:title>\n'
' <jats:p>To explore the relationship between vitamin D levels and risk of '
'SARS-CoV-2 infection and its severity in children and adolescents, and provide a theoretical '
'basis for clinical practice.</jats:p>\n'
' </jats:sec>\n'
' <jats:sec>\n'
' <jats:title>Methods:</jats:title>\n'
' <jats:p>The PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library '
'databases were searched for comprehensive cohort and case–control studies on the association '
'between childhood vitamin D deficiency and the risk and prognosis of coronavirus disease-2019 '
'(COVID-19). The search period was set from December 1, 2019, to December 31, 2023.</jats:p>\n'
' </jats:sec>\n'
' <jats:sec>\n'
' <jats:title>Results:</jats:title>\n'
' <jats:p>The vitamin D insufficiency rate in children with COVID-19 was 80.78% '
'(95% CI, 62.6% to 93.89%), with a deficiency rate of 32% (95% CI: 19.01% to 46.61%). Vitamin '
'D insufficiency was more common in children with COVID-19 than in healthy children (OR, 4.86; '
'95% CI: 2.56–9.26). The incidence of severe illness was higher (OR, 4.73; 95% CI: 1.39–16.11) '
'whereas that of asymptomatic illness was lower (OR, 0.38; 95% CI: 0.38–0.81) in children with '
'COVID-19 who had vitamin D insufficiency than in those who did not.</jats:p>\n'
' </jats:sec>\n'
' <jats:sec>\n'
' <jats:title>Conclusions:</jats:title>\n'
' <jats:p>Vitamin D insufficiency in children may increase the risk of COVID-19 '
'infection and is associated with poor prognostic outcomes. Further research is required to '
'confirm the optimal Vitamin D dose to prevent insufficiency in various sections of the '
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