title: Vitamin D and tuberculosis: a multicenter study in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study is to evaluate vitamin D levels in children with latent and active TB compared to healthy controls of the same age and ethnical background.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter observational study has been conducted in three tertiary care paediatric centres: Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital, Florence, Italy; Evelina London Children's Hospital, London, United Kingdom and Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom. Vitamin D was considered deficient if the serum level was <25 nmol/L, insufficient between 25 and 50 nmol/L and sufficient for a level >50 nmol/L.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population included 996 children screened for TB, which have been tested for vitamin D. Forty-four children (4.4%) had active TB, 138 (13.9%) latent TB and 814 (81.7%) were controls. Our study confirmed a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in the study population. A multivariate analysis confirmed an increased risk of hypovitaminosis D in children with latent and active TB compared to controls [(P = 0.018; RR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.086-2.388), (P < 0.0001; RR = 4.587; 95% CI:1.190-9.608)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypovitaminosis D was significantly associated with TB infection in our study. Further studies are needed to evaluate a possible role of vitamin D in the treatment and prevention of tuberculosis in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital, viale Pieraccini 24, I-50139, Florence, Italy. elisabetta-venturini@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital, viale Pieraccini 24, I-50139, Florence, Italy. facchini.ludovica@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ludovica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Facchini
authors.affiliation: Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. nuria.martinez-alier@gstt.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martinez-Alier
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street, London, WC1N 3JH, UK. Vas.Novelli@gosh.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Vas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Novelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital, viale Pieraccini 24, I-50139, Florence, Italy. luisa.galli@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital, viale Pieraccini 24, I-50139, Florence, Italy. maurizio.demartino@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Martino
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital, viale Pieraccini 24, I-50139, Florence, Italy. elena.chiappini@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chiappini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014807:Vitamin D