correlation of vitamin d status, interleukin-6 level, and disease severity in children with pneumonia: a cross-sectional study

Pneumonia is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five. recent study found that vitamin d deficiency increased risk of severe pneumonia. vitamin d regulates the expression of interleukin (il)-6. studies about correlation of vitamin d status with il-6 and disease severity were still limited. the aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of vitamin d status with il-6 and disease severity according to the pediatric respiratory severity score (press) score and world health organization (who) criteria in children aged 1-60 months with pneumonia. this study was a cross sectional study in children aged 1-60 months with pneumonia at dr. soetomo general academic hospital surabaya. examination of 25-hydroxyvitamin d3, il-6, and disease severity assessment using press or who criteria were performed on the 1st day of hospitalization. the subjects divided into two groups according to 25-hydroxyvitamin d3 level; group 1 (<30 ng/ml) or group 2( ≥30 ng/ml). correlation between variables was performed using chi-squared test and mann-withney u test. statistical significance was considered as p < 0.05.  forty-five children were involved in this study, consisted of 30 (66.67%) boys and 15 (33.33%)  girls with median of age 10 (2-60) months. mean  of 25-hydroxyvitamin d3 level was 28.11±8.99 ng/ml. median of il-6 level was 47.51 (11.71-468.07) ng/l. level of 25-hydroxyvitamin d3 had significant negative weak correlation with il-6 (rs=-0.357, p=0.017), but did not correlate with disease severity according to press score or who criteria. the results of this study showed that vitamin d status is correlated with il-6 but not disease severity in children aged 1-60 months with pneumonia.