Vitamin-D and Innate Immunity in Children with Tuberculosis

• Main Authors: Ehab abdelmoniem Albanna, Nariman Fathi Omar, Ahmed Ibrahim M Shalabi, Hala abdelhameed AA
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: PAGEPress Publications 2014-08-01
• Series: Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: Vitamin D- LL-37- Tuberculosis- Immunity- HCAP-18
• Online Access: https://mjhid.org/index.php/mjhid/article/view/1751

Background: optimal vitamin D levels (through appropriate sunlight exposure, diet and, if necessary, supplementation) is likely to help ensure optimal protection from infection diseases.   Objective: evaluate the interaction of vitamin D and tuberculosis and the correlation between serum vitamin-D and HCAP-18 levels in tuberculosis.                                                    .   Study design: Thirty eight children (22 male and 16 female) with proven diagnosis of tuberculosis (ages ranged from (0.5-17 years) who attended Pediatric Department Zagazig University Hospital, chest hospital in Zagazig and Mansura during 2010 were studied. In addition, 38 age and sex matched apparently healthy children served as control group. All children were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, laboratory investigations (CBC, CRP, ESR), Chest X ray for the patient only, determination of serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 OHD) and plasma LL-37.   Results: The study revealed a highly significant decrease in vitamin D, LL-37 in tuberculous children than in control group. There were a highly significant positive correlation between vitamin D and ESR, LL-37 and a significant positive correlation with platelet count.   Conclusion: Inappropriate concentration of vitamin d decreases the ability of the immune system to defend against tuberculous infection so we recommend appropriate vitamin D supplementation and sun exposure to decrease the risk of tuberculosis. Also further studies are required to confirm the correlation between vitamin D and TB infection, the role of vitamin D as a therapeutic agent and its efficacy in treatment of TB.