Assessment of Vitamin D Status in Children with Tuberculosis Infection

Abstract

Taking into account the widespread prevalence of insufficient supply of vitamin D, the dose - dependent effect of calcitriol on anti - tuberculosis immunity, 52 children aged 1-14 years were examined at the tuberculosis department of St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution of St. Petersburg Children’s Infectiou s Hospital No. 3 for the period 2021-2023. The inclusion criterion was a positive reaction to the RTA test and/or IGRA test. Exclusion criteria included immunodeficiency diseases and immunosuppressive therapy. Determination of the calcidiol content in the blood serum of patients revealed the following: vitamin D deficiency in 19.2%, moderate deficiency in 40.4%, and severe deficiency in 32.6% of patients. The average calcidiol content in the blood serum of all patients was 15.71±1.13 ng/ml. In children with tuberculosis infection with signs of activity according to immunological tests in the presence of vitamin D deficiency (calcidiol content less than 20 ng/ml), the probability of diagnosing active forms of tuberculosis is higher than in the case of deficiency and normal content of this vitamin (OR= 8,05 DI [2,03-32,01] Se = 0,71; RR = 1,86 DI [1,14- 3,03] Se = 0,24; F = 0,00285, φc=0,440).