Vitamin D, Cytokines and Infection Status in Panamanian Mothers and their Preschool Children

Background VitD is emerging as an important regulator of immune function as well as growth. Methods This cross sectional study evaluated the vitD status of parasite infected mothers (n=69) and their preschool children (n=86) in order to determine if vitD status was associated with stunting and/or proinflammatory cytokines. Cytokines were measured using Luminex and vitD using 25OHVitD chemiluminescent immunoassay. Results Parasitic infections were high in both mothers (74%) and children (62%) with VitD concentrations of mothers and children being positively correlated. VitD deficiency (21%) and insufficiency (52%) were present in mothers along with VitD insufficiency (15%) in preschool children. There was a high prevalence of stunting in children (62%) but it was not associated with vitD status. In mothers, however, vitD deficiency was associated with shorter stature and delivery of smaller infants. Positive correlations between vitD and OPG and vitD and platelets existed in children and VitD sufficiency was associated with lower cytokines (MCP‐1, IFN‐γ, FGF‐2) but not with infection per se. Conclusion Despite living at the equator, vitD deficiency and insufficiency are common in Panamanian mothers and children. Our data suggest that the proinflammatory response may be related to vitD status. Grant Funding Source : McGill Vitamin Fund and the Ministry of Health ‐ Nutrition Division, and SENACYT of Panama