Vitamin D Supplementation and Respiratory Index of Severity in Children (RISC) in Pneumonia

Childhood deaths from pneumonia is almost 2000 times higher in developing countries than in developed countries. In 1970, pneumonia was responsible for 9% of all deaths in children under 5 years. This rate was 2% in 2007. Some studies have shown that supplementing with vitamin D reduces disease of the respiratory tract infection. Some other studies have shown anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin D in cell lines. Studies about the role of vitamin D supplementation in pneumonia in children are inadequate to conclude about its role. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in Respiratory Index of Severity in Children (RISC) hospitalized clinical outcomes of hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia.