A randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza and enterovirus infection in children

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A randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza and enterovirus infection in children

Huang et al., 2022 | J Microbiol Immunol Infect | Rct

Citation

Huang Ya-Ning, Chi Hsin, ... Huang Daniel Tsung-Ning. A randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza and enterovirus infection in children. J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2022-Oct;55(5):803-811. doi:10.1016/j.jmii.2022.01.003

Abstract

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.

Key Findings

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, th

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Child, Preschool
  • Humans
  • Influenza, Human
  • Seasons
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamins
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Enterovirus Infections

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Rct
  • Publication Types: Randomized Controlled Trial, Journal Article
  • Vertical: vitamin-d-immune

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09