The association between vitamin D levels and the incidence of urinary tract infections in children under seven years old in Larkana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65459/pmhj.000000003Keywords:
Vitamin D, UTI, Children, E.Coli, ABMAbstract
Background: Children are particularly vulnerable to urinary tract infections (UTIs), which are bacterial diseases. Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the most often implicated etiological agent, accounting for 80% to 90% of UTIs in children. Objectives: The main goal was to find out how often vitamin D insufficiency is in kids who have diagnosed UTI. Method: In the Larkana district of Pakistan, 144 children less than 7 years old who were diagnosed with acute bacterial meningitis were included in this prospective research. In accordance with established laboratory procedures, we obtained blood and urine samples to analyze vitamin D levels, isolate bacteria, and test for antibiotic susceptibility. Inclusion required residence in Larkana and no antibiotic use within 3 days; children ≥7 years, outside Larkana, or recently on antibiotics were excluded. Results: The mean vitamin D level was significantly lower in UTI-positive children (18.08 mg/dl) compared with controls (35.48 mg/dl, p = 0.05). Vitamin D deficiency (<12 mg/dl) was observed in 84% of UTI patients versus 23% of controls. Chi-square analysis confirmed a significant association between vitamin D deficiency and culture-positive UTIs. Conclusion: This study concluded that vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with culture-positive UTI cases, suggesting a potential role of hypovitaminosis D as a risk factor for pediatric UTIs.
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