title: Low Vitamin D Levels Are Associated With an Adverse Clinical Outcome in Febrile Neutropenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of vitamin D in patients of aplastic anemia presenting with febrile neutropenia and its association with clinically important parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were measured in 35 patients of aplastic anemia with febrile neutropenia in the age group of 4 to 16 years. About 30 healthy children served as controls. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25(OH)D<20 ng/mL, insufficiency 20 to 29 ng/mL, and sufficiency≥30 ng/mL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age of patients was 9.3 years. The mean 25(OH)D level was 17.71±8.90 ng/mL in patients against 23.67±10.80 ng/mL in the control group (P<0.01). About 65.7% of the patients were 25(OH)D deficient (<20 ng/mL). Only 8.6% had sufficient levels. Older (above 10 y) patients, male children, and those from a rural background and a low socioeconomic status had significantly lower 25(OH)D levels as compared with controls. Low 25(OH)D levels were associated with a longer duration (≥7 d) of febrile neutropenia (17.26±7.19 vs. 20.01±12.12 ng/mL) although the difference was not statistically significant. Two patients who expired had significantly lower 25(OH)D levels (12.85±4.12 ng/mL) compared with those who improved (22.86±6.47 ng/mL, P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was observed in patients with febrile neutropenia. Low levels were associated with an adverse clinical outcome.
authors.affiliation: Departments of *Pediatrics †Endocrinology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
authors.forename: Vineeta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Surya K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D064147:Febrile Neutropenia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D