Evaluation of nutritional status in pediatric patients diagnosed with Covid-19 infection
Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2021 Aug;44:424-428. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.04.022
Gülhan Karakaya Molla 1, Özlem Ünal Uzun 2, Nevra Koç 3, Burcu Özen Yeşil 3, Gülsüm İclal Bayhan 4
VitaminDWiki studys in Children and Inflammation and Virus
This list is automatically updated
- COVID children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome have less than 10 ng of vitamin D – March 2022
- 8 of 10 pediatric COVID-19 infections were Vitamin D deficient (49 patients) – May 2021
- Hospitalized children with COVID-19 and inflammation had lower vitamin D – March 2021
- Vitamin D might reduce Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children – March 2021
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Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status, the nutritional effect on the risk of infection and the severity of the disease, and the contribution of nutrition to the course of the infection in pediatric patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease who required additional nutritional support after hospitalization.
Methods: The body weight, height, body mass index, upper arm circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness of 49 patients aged 1 month to 18 years and diagnosed with Covid-19 and then hospitalized at the Ankara City Hospital, Pediatric Health and Diseases Hospital, Pediatric Infection ward between 15 May and 15 June 2020 were measured. Total protein, albumin, prealbumin, selenium, zinc, ferritin, folate, and selenium, C, D, E, and B12 levels were studied from blood drawn simultaneously from the patients.
Results: A total of 49 patients aged 8-18 years were evaluated. The median age was 13 years (age range 8-18). The females made up 53% and the males 47% of the group. No patient needed intensive care admission. Only 3 patients received antibiotic treatment and the others were followed up without treatment. The weight was normal in 75% and the height was normal in 90%. Mid-arm circumference and triceps thickness were normal in 72% of the patients.
- Vitamin D deficiency was present in 82%,
- vitamin B12 deficiency in 18%,
- vitamin C deficiency in 17%,
- ferritin deficiency in 16%,
- folate deficiency in 15%,
- vitamin A deficiency in 13%, and
- vitamin E deficiency in 7%.
Conclusion: No patient required intensive care admission. Only 3 patients received antibiotic treatment and the others were followed up without treatment. Malnourishment was present in 3% of the patients while 9% were obese.
Vitamin D deficiency was the most common vitamin deficiency while
- vitamin B12,
- vitamin C,
- Ferritin,
- vitamin A,
- vitamin E, and
- Folate deficiency
were less common.
Selenium and zinc levels were normal in all patients. There was no correlation between anthropometric values and susceptibility to childhood COVID-19 infection or the clinical course. It is possible that vitamin D deficiency increases susceptibility to the infection.