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Serum vitamin D levels in children with recurrent otitis media

European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology volume 271, pages 689–693 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The aims of this study were to evaluate serum vitamin D levels in cases of recurrent otitis media and investigate the effect of vitamin D therapy on the risk of re-occurrence of the disease. This prospective study was performed by comparing serum vitamin D levels in children with recurrent otitis media and healthy children. Eighty-four children between 1 and 5 years of age and diagnosed with recurrent otitis media were enrolled as the study group. One hundred-and-eight healthy children with similar demographic characteristics were enrolled as the control group. Patients were divided into groups according to their serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels. In patients with low initial serum vitamin D levels, vitamin D therapy was administered in addition to conventional treatment for otitis media. Mean serum 25(OH) vitamin D level in the study group was 11.4 ± 9.8 ng/mL Serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels were below 20 ng/mL in 69 % (n = 58) of cases in this group. In the control group, mean serum 25(OH) vitamin D level was 29.2 ± 13.9 ng/mL and was below 20 ng/mL in 30 % (n = 32) of cases. Comparison of serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels and PTH in the study and control groups revealed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). Treatment was initiated in cases diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency, and patients were followed up in due course. The only episodes detected over the course of 1-year follow-up were one attack in five patients and two attacks in two. We believe that co-administration of supplementary vitamin D together with conventional treatments is appropriate in the management of upper respiratory infections such as otitis media.

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Acknowledgments

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey

    Atilla Cayir, Avni Kaya & Behzat Ozkan

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey

    Mehmet Ibrahim Turan & Salih Davutoglu

  3. Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey

    Ozalkan Ozkan

  4. Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey

    Yasemin Cayir

Authors
  1. Atilla Cayir
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  2. Mehmet Ibrahim Turan
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  3. Ozalkan Ozkan
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  4. Yasemin Cayir
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  5. Avni Kaya
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  6. Salih Davutoglu
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  7. Behzat Ozkan
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Correspondence to Atilla Cayir.

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Cayir, A., Turan, M.I., Ozkan, O. et al. Serum vitamin D levels in children with recurrent otitis media. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 271, 689–693 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-013-2455-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-013-2455-7

Keywords

  • Child
  • Otitis media
  • Vitamin D
  • Therapy