25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in children of different ages and with varying degrees of Helicobacter pylori infection and immunological features

Peng-Fei Ma; Qun Dai; Jing Chu; Lin Zhuo; Yi Chen; Rong Cheng; Cheng Wu; Li-Ping Yuan

doi:10.3389/fped.2023.1157777

25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in children of different ages and with varying degrees of Helicobacter pylori infection and immunological features

Front Pediatr. 2023 Apr 17:11:1157777. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1157777. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Peng-Fei Ma^{1

2}, Qun Dai³, Jing Chu⁴, Lin Zhuo², Yi Chen², Rong Cheng², Cheng Wu², Li-Ping Yuan¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
² Department of Gastroenterology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University at Anhui (Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital), Hefei, China.
³ Department of Pathology, The Third People's Hospital of Hefei, Anhui Medical University Hefei Third Clinical College, Hefei, China.
⁴ Department of Pathology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University at Anhui (Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital), Hefei, China.

Abstract

Background: Helicobacter pylori (HP) is a major cause of upper digestive tract diseases. However, the relationship between HP infection and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels in children has not been fully elucidated. This study investigated the levels of 25(OH)D in children of different ages and with varying degrees of HP infection and immunological features as well as the correlations between 25(OH)D levels in children infected with HP and their ages and degrees of infection.

Materials and methods: Ninety-four children who underwent upper digestive endoscopy were divided into an HP-positive group without peptic ulcers (Group A), an HP-positive group with peptic ulcers (Group B) and an HP-negative control group (Group C). The serum levels of 25(OH)D and immunoglobulin and the percentages of lymphocyte subsets were determined. HP colonization, the degree of inflammation, and the degree of activity were further evaluated by HE staining and immunohistochemical staining in gastric mucosal biopsy.

Results: The 25(OH)D level of the HP-positive groups (50.93 ± 16.51 nmol/L) was significantly lower than that of the HP-negative group (62.89 ± 19.18 nmol/L). The 25(OH)D level of Group B (47.79 ± 14.79 nmol/L) was lower than that of Group A (51.53 ± 17.05 nmol/L) and was significantly lower than that of Group C (62.89 ± 19.18 nmol/L). The 25(OH)D level decreased with increasing age, and there was a significant difference between Group C subjects who were ≤5 years old and those who were aged 6-9 years and ≥10 years. The 25(OH)D level was negatively correlated with HP colonization (r = -0.411, P < 0.01) and the degree of inflammation (r = -0.456, P < 0.01). The percentages of lymphocyte subsets and immunoglobulin levels among Groups A, B and C were not significantly different.

Conclusions: The 25(OH)D level was negatively correlated with HP colonization and the degree of inflammation. As the age of the children increased, the level of 25(OH)D decreased, and the susceptibility to HP infection increased.

Keywords: 25(OH)D; children; helicobacter pylori infection; inflammation; lymphocyte subsets.