Both in the structure of the general and respiratory system, childhood morbidity and mortality, pneumonia still occupies a leading position.

Aim To determine the value of vitamin D in young children with community-acquired pneumonia.

Material and Method The level of serum vitamin D (VD) was studied in 50 children aged 1 to 3 years with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). VD deficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)D concentration <20 ng/ml, insufficiency as 20 to 30, and normal as ≥ 30 ng/ml.

Results The results obtained indicate that the level of vitamin D in 40% of children was normal (> 50 ng/ml), 45.2% of children had insufficiency, and 14.8% of children had VD deficiency (figure 1).

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Abstract PP-082 Figure 1

Vitamin D indicators in children with community-acquired pneumonia

According to the literature, the VD level provides protection against infection due to genes whose operation is regulated by 25(OH)D3. Children in the group with insufficiency and VD deficiency had a severe course of CAP, hyperthermic syndrome - febrile temperature lasted for 3 or more days in 45.5% of patients, and 54.5% of patients had low-grade fever. The main complaints were productive cough in patients with VD insufficiency or deficiency - 76% of cases, dry in 22.7% (table 1).

Dry cough was significantly more common in children aged 2–3 years, and productive cough was more common in children aged 1 year. Children complained of decreased appetite, weakness, and fatigue in 62% of cases, while in 38% of children whose vitamin D level was normal, these complaints were mild. Inspiratory dyspnea was observed in children with insufficiency or deficiency of vitamin D (77.8%), in other children - mixed dyspnea.

Conclusions The level of Vitamin D plays an important role in the course, severity and unfavorable outcome of CAP in young children, which deserves special attention and requires a more in-depth analysis in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases of the bronchopulmonary system in children.