Study on correlation between Vitamin D status and proinflammatory cytokines in children with RSV bronchiolitis

The objective of our study was to evaluate vitamin D status and serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) alongside the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, in order to investigate their correlation with the incidence and severity of acute RSV bronchiolitis in children. The study included 39 children, aged 1 month to 2 years, divided into two subgroups: children with acute RSV bronchiolitis (n=20) and a control group of healthy children (n=19). No significant difference in vitamin D status was found between the patient and control groups. The patient group exhibited elevated levels of IL-1β and TNF-α compared to healthy children, while IL-6 levels did not differ significantly between the two groups. Correlation analysis demonstrated a positive, statistically significant association between IL-6 and TNF-α. However, no statistically significant correlations were observed between the severity of broncho obstructive syndrome and other indicators, including 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP. Furthermore, no correlation was found between vitamin D levels and any of the cytokines. These findings suggest that while inflammatory markers may play a role in RSV bronchiolitis, vitamin D status does not appear to be a contributing factor to the incidence or severity of the disease in the pediatric population studied.