The relationship of vitamin D deficiency and childhood diarrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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The relationship of vitamin D deficiency and childhood diarrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Lazarus et al., 2024 | BMC Pediatr | Meta Analysis

Citation

Lazarus Glen, Putra I Gusti Ngurah Sanjaya, ... Oswari Hanifah. The relationship of vitamin D deficiency and childhood diarrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Pediatr. 2024-Feb-16;24(1):125. doi:10.1186/s12887-024-04599-0

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of childhood diarrhea. We aim to carry out a review and meta-analysis of the evidence relating vitamin D insufficiency to childhood diarrhea. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Ovid, Scopus, and Cochrane Library (from inception to August 2022), then independently reviewed the eligibility, and read full-text reviews for selected articles. Keywords used were 'vitamin D', '25-hydroxyvitamin D', 'vitamin D deficiency', 'diarrhea', 'gastroenteritis', 'children', and 'pediatric'. The search was limited to studies only in English and with available full-text. Year limitation was not applied in our search. Unpublished trials, dissertations, preliminary reports, conference abstracts, and repositories were excluded from the study. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used as the risk of bias assessment tool. Meta-analysis using the random-effects model was done. RESULTS: Out of 5,565 articles, 12 articles were included in our systematic review, however only 7 articles were eligible for meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed a statistically significant association between vitamin D deficiency and diarrhea in children in developing countries (OR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.15 to 2.80; p = 0.01). On the secondary outcome, the association of vitamin D deficiency and duration or recurrences of diarrhea are conflicting. CONCLUSIONS: There is an association between vitamin D deficiency and the prevalence of diarrhea. Future studies should evaluate the causal association, the impact of vitamin D deficiency on the severity of diarrhea, and whether vitamin D deficiency treatments affects the prevalence of diarrhea.

Key Findings

Out of 5,565 articles, 12 articles were included in our systematic review, however only 7 articles were eligible for meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed a statistically significant association between vitamin D deficiency and diarrhea in children in developing countries (OR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.15 to 2.80; p = 0.01). On the secondary outcome, the association of vitamin D deficiency and duration or recurrences of diarrhea are conflicting.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

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

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Vitamin D Deficiency
  • Diarrhea
  • Child
  • Vitamin D
  • Child, Preschool

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Meta-Analysis, Systematic Review, Journal Article
  • Vertical: vitamin-d

Provenance

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