OBJECTIVETo study the changes in the serum levels of 25-(OH)D3 and immunoglobulins in children with bronchiolitis, and the clinical significance of these changes.

METHODSSerum levels of 25-(OH)D3 were measured using ELISA in 35 children with bronchiolitis in the acute and recovery phases and 20 healthy children. Serum levels of immunoglobulins were determined by rate nephelometry.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy children, serum 25-(OH)D3, IgG and IgA levels in children with bronchiolitis in the acute phase were significantly lower and, in contrast, serum IgE levels were significantly higher (P<0.05). Serum 25-(OH)D3 levels increased and serum IgE levels decreased significantly in the recovery phase compared with the acute phase in children with bronchiolitis (P<0.05). However, compared with the healthy children, serum 25-(OH)D3 and IgA levels were significantly lower and serum IgE levels were significantly higher in children with bronchiolitis in the recovery phase (P<0.05). Serum 25-(OH)D3 levels in children with bronchiolitis in the acute phase were positively correlated with serum IgG (r=0.36, P<0.05) and IgA levels (r=0.63, P<0.01), and negatively correlated with serum IgE levels (r=-0.72, P<0.01). A negative correlation was found between serum 25-(OH)D3 and IgE levels in children with bronchiolitis in the recovery phase (r=-0.34, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSerum 25-(OH)D3 levels decrease and there is immunoglobulin level imbalance in children with bronchiolitis, suggesting that 25-(OH)D3 and immunoglobulins may play important roles in the pathogenesis of bronchiolitis.

Bronchiolitis ; blood ; etiology ; Calcifediol ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; blood ; Infant ; Male

OBJECTIVETo study the changes and clinical significance of serum levels of 25-(OH)D(3) and total IgE in children with asthma.

METHODSThirty children with asthma, 40 children with asthmatic bronchitis, and 40 healthy children were enrolled. Double-antibody radioimmunoassay was used to detect the levels of serum 25-(OH)D(3) and total IgE.

RESULTSSerum 25-(OH)D(3) levels (18±3 ng/Ml)decreased significantly in the asthmatic group compared with those in the asthmatic bronchitis group (43±3 ng/mL) and the control group (43±3 ng/mL) (P<0.01). In contrast, serum total IgE levels (192±16 IU/mL) increased significantly in the asthmatic group compared with those in the asthmatic bronchitis group (123±14 IU/mL) and the control group (118±15 IU/mL) (P<0.01). Serum 25-(OH)D(3) levels were negatively correlated with serum total IgE levels in asthmatic children (r=-0.783, P<0.01). There were no correlation between serum 25-(OH)D(3) levels and serum total IgE level in the asthmatic bronchitis and the control groups.

CONCLUSIONS25-(OH)D(3) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. The increased serum 25-(OH)D(3) level may inhibit total IgE expression, suggesting that increasing serum 25-(OH)D(3) level might be a new option for the prevention and treatment of asthma.

Asthma ; blood ; etiology ; Calcifediol ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Infant ; Male

OBJECTIVETo examine the changes in 25-hydroxyvitamin D[25-(OH)D] level in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) and its clinical significance.

METHODSA total of 92 HSP children were included in this study, and were divided into HSP nephritis (HSPN) group (31 cases) and HSP group (61 cases) based on the presence or absence of HSPN. Alternatively, the patients were divided into purpura alone group (22 cases), purpura with joint symptoms group (joint symptom group, 24 cases), purpura with gastrointestinal symptoms group (gastrointestinal symptom group, 20 cases), and purpura with joint and gastrointestinal symptoms (mixed group, 26 cases) based on their clinical symptoms. In addition, 42 healthy children were selected as healthy control group. The level of 25-(OH)Din each group was measured using enzyme-linked immunoassay.

RESULTSThe 25-(OH)Dlevel in the HSP and HSPN groups was significantly lower than that in the healthy control group (P<0.05), and the 25-(OH)Dlevel in the HSPN group was significantly lower than that in the HSP group (P<0.05). Although there was no significant difference in the 25-(OH)Dlevel between the joint symptom, gastrointestinal symptom, and mixed groups (P=0.22), the 25-(OH)Dlevel in the three groups was all significantly lower than that in the purpura alone group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe level of 25-(OH)Dis reduced in children with HSP, particularly those with HSPN or with joint and gastrointestinal symptoms. Therefore, the reduction in 25-(OH)Dlevel may serve as a predictor of whether HSP is associated with other impairments.

Adolescent ; Calcifediol ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Male ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; blood

OBJECTIVE25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] is the main product of vitamin D and can reflect the absolute concentration of active vitamin D in the body. This study examined serum 25(OH)D3 levels in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in order to explore the association of vitamin D concentrations with the pathogenesis and disease activity of JIA.

METHODSSerum samples were collected from 53 children confirmed as having JIA between January 2013 and March 2014, as well as 106 healthy children (control group) who underwent physical examination in the same period. Serum concentrations of 25(OH)D3 were measured using ELISA and compared between the cases and healthy controls. The association of serum 25(OH)D3 levels with JIA subtypes, ACR Pediatric 30 Score, peripheral blood C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were analyzed in children with JIA.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the JIA group had significantly reduced serum 25(OH)D3 levels (median: 42.6 nmol/L vs 49.9 nmol/L; P<0.01). The percentage of subjects with severe deficiency of vitamin D in the JIA group was significantly higher than that in the control group (17.0% vs 6.6%; P<0.05). Serum 25(OH)D3 showed no significant correlations with JIA subtypes, ACR Pediatric 30 Score, CRP, and ESR in children with JIA.

CONCLUSIONSVitamin D concentrations are significantly decreased in children with JIA. Decreased vitamin D concentrations may be associated with the pathogenesis of JIA. However, vitamin D concentrations may have no correlations with JIA subtypes, disease severity, and disease activity.

Adolescent ; Arthritis, Juvenile ; blood ; etiology ; Calcifediol ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25-(OH)D3] level with obesity and inflammatory cytokines in children, and to provide a basis for clinical evaluation of the relationship between vitamin D nutritional status and obesity.

METHODSSeventy-eight children with obesity who visited the hospital between February and June 2012 were selected as subjects. According to baseline data, such as age and sex, 105 children who underwent physical examination in the same period were selected as controls. Fasting venous blood samples were taken to measure serum levels of 25-(OH)D3, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α).

RESULTSSerum 25-(OH)D3 levels were significantly lower in the obesity group than in the control group (P<0.01). Serum 25-(OH)D3 levels were negatively correlated with BMI (r=-0.462, P<0.01). Patients were further divided, according to their serum 25-(OH)D levels, into vitamin D sufficiency, vitamin D insufficiency, vitamin D deficiency and severe vitamin D deficiency subgroups. There were significant differences in serum IFN-γ levels among the subgroups (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in serum IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α levels between the subgroups, however (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSObese children have lower serum 25-(OH)D3 levels than normal children. Serum 25-(OH)D3 level is negatively correlated with BMI, but has little correlation with inflammatory cytokines levels.

Adolescent ; Body Mass Index ; Calcifediol ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cytokines ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; blood ; Male ; Obesity ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in the serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25-(OH)D3] and its significance in children with Kawasaki disease (KD).

METHODSThe clinical data of 242 KD children were collected. According to the presence or absence of coronary artery lesion (CAL), these children were classified into CAL group (63 children) and non-CAL (NCAL) group (179 children). According to the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), these children were classified into IVIG-sensitive group (219 children) and no-IVIG-response group (23 children). A total of 40 healthy children (control group) and 40 children with acute upper respiratory tract infection (AURI group) were enrolled as controls. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to measure the serum level of 25-(OH)D3.

RESULTSBefore IVIG treatment, the AURI, NCAL, and CAL groups had significantly lower serum levels of 25-(OH)D3 than the control group (P<0.05); the CAL group had a significantly lower serum level of 25-(OH)D3 than the AURI and NCAL groups (P<0.05); the AURI, IVIG-sensitive, and no-IVIG-response groups had significantly lower serum levels of 25-(OH)D3 than the control group (P<0.05); the no-IVIG-response group had a significantly lower serum level of 25-(OH)D3 than the AURI and IVIG-sensitive groups (P<0.05). After IVIG treatment, the CAL group had a significantly lower serum level of 25-(OH)D3 than the NCAL and control groups (P<0.05); the no-IVIG-response group had a significantly lower serum level of 25-(OH)D3 than the IVIG-sensitive and control groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSKD children may experience a reduction in the serum level of 25-(OH)D3. With a greater reduction in the serum level of 25-(OH)D3, the possibility of CAL and KD with no response to treatment increases.

Calcifediol ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; therapeutic use ; Infant ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; blood ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo study the correlation between vitamin D receptor genetic polymorphism Fokand vitamin D deficiency rickets in children between 1 to 3 years old, and to explore the significance of hereditary factors in the development of vitamin D deficiency rickets.

METHODSSixty-two children with vitamin D deficiency rickets and 60 healthy children as a control group were enrolled. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 were measured using ELISA. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) genetic analysis method was used. A restriction fragment length polymorphism in the vitamin D receptor genetic polymorphism Fok I was tested. The frequencies of the vitamin D receptor genotype and allele were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSSerum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels in the rickets group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( 9.1+/-4.1 ng/mL vs 16.1+/-6.9 ng/mL; P<0.05 ). FF genotype in the vitamin D receptor genetic polymorphism Fok I was more common in the rickets group than in the control group (53% vs 25%; P<0.05). F allele frequency in the rickets group was significantly higher than that in the control group (73% vs 57%; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere is a correlation between vitamin D receptor genetic polymorphism Fok I and vitamin D deficiency rickets. This suggests that vitamin D receptor genetic polymorphism might play an important role in determining susceptibility to development of vitamin D deficiency rickets.

Calcifediol ; blood ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Receptors, Calcitriol ; genetics ; Rickets ; blood ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the changes of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25-(OH)D3] and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) after treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) and analyze their clinical implications.

METHODSThirty-five children with KD (26 boys and 9 girls) were examined for serum 25-(OH)D3 and IL-6 levels before and after IVIG treatment using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), with 25 febrile children with respiratory tract infections and 25 healthy children as controls.

RESULTSSerum 25-(OH)D3 levels were significantly higher in healthy children than in febrile children (P=0.025), and was even higher in children with KD before IVIG treatment (P=0.023). Serum IL-6 levels were similar between healthy and febrile children (P=0.4), but significantly elevated in KD children (P=0.000). Serum 25-(OH)D3 level was positive correlated with serum IL-6 level in KD children before treatment (r=0.9, P=0.000). In KD children after IVIG treatment, serum 25-(OH)D3 level was significantly increased (P=0.012) and serum IL-6 levels slightly decreased (P=0.325) without showing any correlations (r=0.18, P=0.4).

CONCLUSIONSerum 25-(OH)D3 level is positively correlated with serum IL-6 level in KD children before IVIG treatment but not after the treatment,. 25(OH)D3 may participate in the pathogenesis of KD and potentially serves as the therapeutic target for KD.

Calcifediol ; blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; therapeutic use ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; blood ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the predictive value of cord blood 25(OH)D [25(OH)D] for infantile atopic dermatitis (AD), and to provide a reference for primary prevention of early infantile AD.

METHODSThe neonates born from July to September, 2015 were enrolled. The cord blood samples were collected at birth to measure the level of 25(OH)D. Outpatient follow-up was conducted for all the infants at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after birth. A survey was performed to investigate the incidence of AD.

RESULTSA total of 67 neonates completed a 6-month follow-up. The incidence of AD was 34% (23/67), and 91% (21/23) of these cases occurred in the first month after birth. The 23 AD children had a significantly lower cord 25(OH)D level than those without AD (P<0.05). The children with a cord 25(OH)D level <30 nmol/L showed a significantly higher incidence of AD than those with a cord 25(OH)D level ≥30 nmol/L (P<0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve of cord 25(OH)D in predicting AD was 0.648 (standard error: 0.075; 95%CI: 0.502-0.795). Its sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 52.2%, 79.5%, 57.1%, and 76.1%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that low cord 25(OH)D level, preference for seafood during pregnancy, atopic family history, and mixed feeding were risk factors for infantile AD (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCord 25(OH)D level is inversely associated with the risk of infantile AD, but it has a low diagnostic value for this disease.

Calcifediol ; blood ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; blood ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; chemistry ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; ROC Curve ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between TaqI, BsmI, and ApaI polymorphisms of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene and pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) in China.

METHODSNineteen children with CD were selected as a case group, and 122 healthy children who underwent physical examination were selected as a control group. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] levels were measured using ELISA. The TaqI, BsmI, and ApaI polymorphisms of VDR gene were determined by gene sequencing, and the two groups were compared in terms of genotype and allele frequencies.

RESULTSThe case group had significantly lower serum 25(OH)D3 levels than the control group (17.3±2.4 ng/mL vs 26.9±2.1 ng/mL; P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the frequencies of genotypes and alleles of TaqI, BsmI, and ApaI polymorphisms between the case and control groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSChildren with CD have low serum 25(OH)D3 levels. TaqI, BsmI, and ApaI polymorphisms of VDR gene may not be associated with susceptibility to CD among the Chinese population.

Adolescent ; Calcifediol ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Crohn Disease ; blood ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Receptors, Calcitriol ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA