A randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza and enterovirus infection in children.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether vitamin D supplementation could reduce the incidence of influenza and enterovirus infections in Taiwanese children.
Results Summary
Vitamin D supplementation showed an 84% relative risk reduction against influenza compared to placebo, though this did not reach statistical significance. No significant effect was observed for enterovirus infections in children or their household members.
Population
Taiwanese children aged two to five years attending daycare centers.
Effective Dosage
2000 IU/day
Duration
One month
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
vitamin D supplementation | decrease | influenza | Taiwanese children aged two to five years | 84% | showed a relative risk reduction of 84% against influenza compared to the placebo group but did not reach statistical significance | #1 |
vitamin D supplementation | no change | enterovirus infection | Taiwanese children aged two to five years | no significant change | the incidence of enterovirus infection was similar between the two groups | #2 |
vitamin D supplementation | no change | influenza | children's household members | no significant change | the incidence of influenza was similar between the two groups | #3 |
vitamin D supplementation | no change | enterovirus infection | children's household members | no significant change | the incidence of enterovirus infection were both similar between the two groups | #4 |
vitamin D supplementation | decrease | influenza infection | preschool children | - | may have a small preventative effect against influenza infection | #5 |
vitamin D supplementation | no change | enterovirus infection | preschool children | - | does not affect enterovirus infection | #6 |
high-dose short-term vitamin D intervention | increase | serum vitamin D levels | children | - | might be a way to elevate children's serum vitamin D levels | #7 |
PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate whether vitamin D supplementation can reduce the incidence of influenza and enterovirus infection in Taiwanese children. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, controlled trial included children aged two to five years between April 2018 and October 2019 from daycare centers. All the participants were randomly assigned to a vitamin D supplementation group (2000 IU/day) or placebo group for one month. The primary outcome was the incidence of influenza and enterovirus infection in the following six months, and the secondary outcome was the incidence of influenza and enterovirus infection in the children's household members. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-eight children participated. The vitamin D group showed a relative risk reduction of 84% against influenza compared to the placebo group but did not reach statistical significance. Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that the placebo group had a higher probability of influenza infection than the vitamin D group (log-rank test, p = 0.055), but the incidence of enterovirus infection was similar between the two groups (p = 0.946) among children. Among children's household members, the incidence of influenza (p = 0.586) and enterovirus infection (p = 0.528) were both similar between the two groups. All children who were tested for serum 25(OH)D levels after vitamin D intervention had 25(OH)D levels above 30 ng/ml CONCLUSION: Vitamin D supplementation may have a small preventative effect against influenza infection but does not affect enterovirus infection among preschool children. A high-dose short-term vitamin D intervention might be a way to elevate children's serum vitamin D levels in the first month of starting kindergarten.