RESUMO
Background:Vitamin D is partly responsible formaintainingcalcium and phosphatehomeostasisbut has been shown to have immune modulatory functions.Objective:To measure serumlevels of vitamin D, and plasma levels of calcium and phosphatein children with pneumonia and compare with those of apparentlyhealthy controls.Methods:A cross-sectional study involving seventy-six childrenwith pneumonia, matched with 76 apparently healthy controls.Results:There was no statistically significant difference in the mean serum vitamin D levels between the cases and the controls (t = 1.190, p = 0.236). The mean serum vitamin D level was significantly higher in childrenwith non-severe pneumonia than in those with severe pneumonia (t = 3.299, p =.002). Themean serum vitamin D level was higher among the controls than those with severe pneumonia (t = 2.674, p = 0.009).The mean plasmacalcium and phosphate levels in the controls were significantly higher than in the cases (t = 2.528, p = .013 and t = 4.594, p < .001 respectively). Plasmacalcium and phosphate levels did not vary with the severity of pneumonia. Pneumonia was independently associated with the occurrence of hypocalcaemia and hypophosphataemia (OR= 4.366, 95% CI = 1.851-10.295, p= 0.001; OR= 7.355, 95% CI = 1.545-35.027, p= 0.01 respectively). Conclusion:Children with severe pneumonia hadlower levels of vitamin D than those with the non-severe disease.Derangements in plasma levels of calcium and phosphateare common in children with pneumonia, and these abnormalities occur independently of low vitamin D levels
