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Vitamin D‐supplemented yogurt drink reduces Candida infections in a paediatric intensive care unit: a randomised, placebo‐controlled clinical trial
Author(s) -
Xie J.,
Zhu L.,
Zhu T.,
Jian Y.,
Ding Y.,
Zhou M.,
Feng X.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of human nutrition and dietetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.951
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1365-277X
pISSN - 0952-3871
DOI - 10.1111/jhn.12634
Subject(s) - medicine , placebo , vitamin , antibiotics , randomized controlled trial , vitamin d and neurology , pediatrics , alternative medicine , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Background The prevalence of Candida infections in paediatric intensive care units ( PICU s) has dramatically increased as a result of resistance to conventional anti‐fungal treatments. Because vitamin D has been shown to exhibit fungicidal activity against Candida infection in an in vitro antimicrobial screening, we aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin D on Candida infections in the PICU . Methods Four hundred sixteen eligible children aged between 12 months to 5 years old admitted to the PICU , who were on broad‐spectrum antibiotic therapy, participated in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to two study groups, receiving a plain yogurt drink (placebo group) or supplemented with 300 IU day −1 vitamin D ( VD group). Primary outcome was defined as the incidences of Candida colonisation ( Candida isolated from rectal swab) 14 days after enrollment. Secondary outcome measures were Candida growth in blood (candidaemia) and urine (candiduria). Results The prevalence of candiduria as well as candidaemia was significantly lower in the VD ‐treated group (26 cases) than in the placebo group (62 cases). The mean (SD) length of PICU stay was obviously lowered in the VD group [11.8 (1.2) days] compared to the placebo group [15.2 (2.3 days)], whereas cases of patient death were similar between the two groups. Conclusions Supplementation of vitamin D effectively reduces infections of Candida in children who were critically ill and on broad‐spectrum antibiotic treatment.