©Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026.
World J Clin Pediatr. Mar 9, 2026; 15(1): 114465
Published online Mar 9, 2026. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v15.i1.114465
Published online Mar 9, 2026. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v15.i1.114465
Table 1 Baseline characteristics of study participants, median (interquartile range)/n (%)
| Characteristics | Total (n = 146) | Study group (n = 73) | Comparison group (n = 73) | P value |
| Age (month) | 6 (4-9) | 6 (4-9) | 6 (4-8) | 0.664 |
| Male sex | 97 (66.4) | 50 (68.5) | 47 (64.4) | 0.599 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2), mean (SD) | 17.2 (2.85) | 17.1 (2.70) | 17.4 (3.00) | 0.515 |
| Breastfeeding | 103 (70.6) | 51 (69.9) | 52 (71.2) | 0.856 |
| Parental smoking | 85 (58.2) | 41 (56.2) | 44 (60.3) | 0.615 |
| Family history of allergy | 27 (18.5) | 15 (20.6) | 12 (16.4) | 0.522 |
| Allergies | 10 (6.9) | 5 (6.9) | 5 (6.9) | 1.000 |
| Regular vitamin D intake | 94 (64.4) | 45 (61.6) | 49 (67.1) | 0.489 |
| Time from disease onset to admission (hour) | 45.5 (24-72) | 47 (27-72) | 45 (24-70) | 0.566 |
| Time from admission to randomization (hour) | 8 (4-12) | 9 (5-12) | 8 (4-13) | 0.672 |
| Respiratory rate (breath/minute), mean (SD) | 53.9 (6.37) | 54.3 (5.37) | 53.5 (7.26) | 0.485 |
| Oxygen saturation (%), mean (SD) | 89.2 (0.94) | 89.2 (0.92) | 89.2 (0.95) | 0.792 |
| Wang respiratory score, mean (SD) | 8.5 (1.01) | 8.5 (0.87) | 8.4 (1.13) | 0.512 |
| Feeding adequacy scale, mean (SD) | 5.8 (1.12) | 5.7 (1.26) | 5.9 (0.98) | 0.510 |
| Oxygen supplementation (L/minute), mean (SD) | 1.8 (0.45) | 1.8 (0.47) | 1.8 (0.43) | 1.000 |
| Parenteral fluids | 146 (100) | 73 (100) | 73 (100) | 1.000 |
| Tube feeding | 82 (56.2) | 43 (58.9) | 39 (53.4) | 0.505 |
| Serum ionized calcium (mmol/L), mean (SD) | 1.15 (0.12) | 1.16 (0.11) | 1.15 (0.12) | 0.505 |
| Serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D (ng/mL), mean (SD) | 30.5 (13.30) | 31.40 (13.12) | 30.0 (13.43) | 0.415 |
| Serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D categories | 0.670 | |||
| Normal (≥ 30 ng/mL) | 73 (50) | 38 (52.1) | 35 (48.0) | |
| Insufficiency (20-29 ng/mL) | 24 (16.4) | 13 (17.8) | 11 (15.1) | |
| Deficiency (< 20 ng/mL) | 49 (33.7) | 22 (30.1) | 27 (37.0) |
Table 2 Outcomes between randomized study groups in the overall population (n = 146), median (interquartile range)/n (%)
| Outcomes | Study group (n = 73) | Comparison group (n = 73) | P value |
| Time from randomization to hospital discharge (hour) | 130 (107-150) | 140 (105-190) | 0.149 |
| Time from randomization to discontinuation of oxygen supplementation (hour) | 70 (50-90) | 70 (45-90) | 0.916 |
| Time from randomization to discontinuation of parenteral fluids (hour) | 70 (50-80) | 66 (40-90) | 0.944 |
| Time from randomization to meeting discharge criteria (hour) | 128 (100-145) | 138 (100-181) | 0.138 |
| Time from hospital admission to discharge (hour) | 143 (110-163) | 154 (109-200) | 0.141 |
| Serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D on day 3 after randomization (ng/mL), mean (SD) | 51.1 (12.80) | 30.9 (13.15) | < 0.001a |
| Serum ionized calcium on day 3 after randomization (mmol/L), mean (SD) | 1.19 (0.11) | 1.16 (0.11) | 0.051 |
| PICU admission | 1 (1.4) | 6 (8.2) | 0.116 |
| Intubation | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Death | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Nebulized salbutamol therapy | 69 (94.5) | 68 (93.2) | 1.000 |
| Systemic corticosteroids | 15 (20.6) | 15 (20.6) | 0.840 |
Table 3 Outcomes between randomized study groups within the subgroup of participants with baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels < 30 ng/mL (pre-specified vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency subgroup, n = 73), median (interquartile range)/n (%)
| Outcomes | Study group (n = 35) | Comparison group (n = 38) | P value |
| Time from randomization to hospital discharge (hour) | 120 (100-144) | 170 (120-190) | < 0.001a |
| Time from randomization to discontinuation of oxygen supplementation (hour) | 56 (40-68) | 79 (49-90) | 0.012a |
| Time from randomization to discontinuation of parenteral fluids (hour) | 55 (40-75) | 72.5 (48-95) | 0.017a |
| Time from randomization to meeting discharge criteria (hour) | 118 (92-136) | 165 (118-181) | 0.001a |
| Time from hospital admission to discharge (hour) | 126 (106-157) | 177.5 (124-200) | < 0.001a |
| Serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D on day 3 after randomization (ng/mL), mean (SD) | 39.9 (6.56) | 19.8 (6.05) | < 0.001a |
| Serum ionized calcium on day 3 after randomization (mmol/L), mean (SD) | 1.21 (0.12) | 1.16 (0.13) | 0.123 |
| PICU admission | 0 | 5 (13.2) | 0.055 |
| Intubation | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Death | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Nebulized salbutamol therapy | 32 (91.4) | 36 (94.7) | 1.000 |
| Systemic corticosteroids | 9 (25.7) | 6 (15.8) | 0.294 |
- Citation: Abdelkreem E, Labeeb YS, Mohamed MA. Efficacy of vitamin D supplementation for children with acute bronchiolitis: A randomized controlled trial. World J Clin Pediatr 2026; 15(1): 114465
- URL: https://www.wjgnet.com/2219-2808/full/v15/i1/114465.htm
- DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.5409/wjcp.v15.i1.114465