1
|
Antonucci R, Vacca N, Biasia B, Locci C, Dore MP, Pes GM, Bitti A. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic and Associated Restrictions on Vitamin D Status in a Large Cohort of Italian Children and Adolescents. Medicina (Kaunas) 2023; 60:65. [PMID: 38256326 PMCID: PMC10819361 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60010065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin upon sunlight exposure, showing variations with season and latitude. We aimed to investigate the influence of age, sex, and season on vitamin D status in a large pediatric cohort during the COVID-19 pandemic period and the corresponding pre-pandemic period. Materials and Methods: Retrospective data concerning subjects aged < 18 years were extracted anonymously from the large database of a reference laboratory hospital (Sassari, Northern Sardinia, Italy). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels measured during the pre-pandemic period (1 March 2018 to 30 September 2019) were compared with those detected during the pandemic period (1 March 2020 to 30 September 2021). Results: A total of 2317 samples from subjects aged < 18 years were included in the analysis, 1303 (47.9% females) of which were collected in the pre-pandemic period and 1014 (51.3% females) in the pandemic period. No significant differences in 25(OH)D levels were found between the two periods, whereas, in children aged < 2 years, levels were higher than those in children aged 11-16 years (p < 0.05). Monthly levels of 25(OH)D between pre-pandemic and pandemic periods did not differ, although significant differences were detected across months (p < 0.0001). Similarly, 25(OH)D values did not differ significantly between males and females in both periods. Marked seasonal variations were observed in males and females across all age groups. Conclusions: Serum vitamin D levels and their season-related variations were not significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions in a large cohort of Italian children and adolescents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Antonucci
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Nadia Vacca
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Beatrice Biasia
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Cristian Locci
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Maria Pina Dore
- Internal Medicine Section, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy (G.M.P.)
| | - Giovanni Mario Pes
- Internal Medicine Section, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy (G.M.P.)
| | - Angela Bitti
- Laboratory of Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cavarzere P, Pausilli R, Nicolussi Prinicpe L, Gaudino R, Guzzo A, Cantalupo G, Antoniazzi F. Decreased vitamin D levels in the pediatric population after COVID-19 lockdown. Ital J Pediatr 2023; 49:113. [PMID: 37670325 PMCID: PMC10478299 DOI: 10.1186/s13052-023-01515-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUD SARS-Cov2 infection began to spread worldwide since December 2019; on March 2020, the World Health Organization characterized its related disease, named COVID-19, as a pandemic. In Italy, to contain the spread of infection a severe lockdown in the spring 2020 was instituted. Other less severe restrictions were imposed in the winter 2020-2021 and in the spring 2021. The containment measures caused a series of consequences for the population and, in particular, for children and adolescents that presented psychophysical problems. The aim of this manuscript is to investigate the serum levels of vitamin D in children and adolescents before, during and after the lockdown consequent to COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS This is a retrospective cross-sectional study, including all children and adolescents between 1 to 18 years referring to the Pediatric Endocrinology Service of the University Hospital of Verona, Italy, between January 2019 and December 2021. All patients affected by clinical conditions that involve vitamin D metabolism or assuming vitamin D supplementation were excluded. RESULTS In total, 491 children (36.7% males and 63.3% females) were enrolled in this study. The vitamin D levels decreased over time: 28.3 ± 10.2 ng/mL in 2019; 28.2 ± 11.4 ng/mL in 2020 and 24.9 ± 10.1 ng/mL in 2021 (p < 0.05). The vitamin D levels are significant higher in summer and in autumn in comparison with the levels of winter and spring, regardless of the examined years. CONCLUSIONS The measures adopted to contain the COVID-19 pandemic led to a reduction of serum levels of vitamin D in pediatric population, probably due to the reduced solar exposure. This may have severe consequences on the bone metabolism of those children who did not present optimal vitamin D levels even before the lockdown. Therefore, an adequate supplementation of vitamin D is necessary from the end of fall to the beginning of spring (November-April) in all children and adolescents living in Northern Italy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Cavarzere
- Pediatric Division, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Verona, Piazzale Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy.
| | - Romina Pausilli
- Pediatric Division, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Verona, Piazzale Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy
| | - Lara Nicolussi Prinicpe
- Pediatric Division, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Verona, Piazzale Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy
| | - Rossella Gaudino
- Pediatric Division, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Verona, Piazzale Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy
- Department Surgical Sciences, Dentistry, Gynecology and Pediatrics, Pediatric Clinic, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Alessandra Guzzo
- Laboratory Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Gaetano Cantalupo
- Innovation Biomedicine Section, Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Franco Antoniazzi
- Pediatric Division, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Verona, Piazzale Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy
- Department Surgical Sciences, Dentistry, Gynecology and Pediatrics, Pediatric Clinic, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Regional Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Rare Skeletal Disorders. Pediatric Clinic, Department of Surgical Sciences, Dentistry, Gynecology and Pediatrics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| |
Collapse
|