Serum vitamins and Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children: a case-control study

Background/objective: pneumonia (MPP). Vitamins are essential for enhancing immune function and mitigating systemic inflammation. However, the relationship between various vitamins, particularly B vitamins, and MPP in children remains underexplored. This study aims to assess the nutritional status of multiple vitamins in children with MPP and their relationship to the condition. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University. A total of 135 children diagnosed with MPP with voluntarily requested vitamin profiling were enrolled between October and December 2023. A control group of 199 children, who underwent health check-ups and vitamins assessments, were also included during the same period. Clinical and laboratory data were retrieved from the hospital's electronic medical record system. Results: Children with MPP exhibited significantly lower levels of VA, VD, VB1, VB7, and VC in their peripheral blood compared to the healthy control group. Nutritional analysis revealed higher deficiency rates of these vitamins in the MPP group. Correlation analysis indicated significant negative relationships between VA, VD, VB1, VB7, and VC levels and the percentage of neutrophils. Additionally, VA, VD, VB7, and VC levels were negatively correlated with the percentage of monocytes. Multivariate regression analysis, adjusted for age and neutrophil percentage, showed that VA (OR = 0.986, 95% CI: 0.981-0.992, P < 0.001), VD (OR = 0.807, 95% CI: 0.746-0.874, P < 0.001), VB1 (OR = 0.592, 95% CI: 0.406-0.864, P = 0.007), VB7 (OR = 0.980, 95% CI: 0.972-0.989, P < 0.001), and VC (OR = 0.899, 95% CI: 0.822-0.984, P = 0.021) were independently associated with MPP. Further analysis demonstrated that children with deficiencies in VA, VD, VB1, VB7, and VC had significantly higher odds of having MPP. Conclusion: Children with MPP exhibit significantly lower levels of VA, VD, VB1, VB7, and VC. The incidence of multiple vitamin deficiencies is notably higher in this group compared to healthy children, and a negative correlation exists between vitamin levels and neutrophil percentage. Multivariate regression analysis confirms that VA, VD, VB1, VB7, and VC were identified to be independently associated with MPP.