Effect on the incidence of pneumonia of vitamin D supplementation by quarterly bolus dose to infants in Kabul: a randomised controlled superiority trial

Study answer

What this study found

Vitamin D3 supplementation did not reduce radiographically confirmed pneumonia in this high-risk infant population. The incidence rate of first or only pneumonia episode was 0.145 per child per year in the vitamin D group versus 0.137 in the placebo group, with an incidence rate ratio of 1.06 (95% CI 0.89-1.27). Repeat all-type pneumonia was significantly higher in the vitamin D group, and hospital admissions and all-cause mortality were not improved. No immediate or other adverse events associated with vitamin D3 were recorded.

Study & population

Randomized controlled superiority trial in inner-city Kabul, Afghanistan, among infants aged 1 to 11 months.

Intervention

Infants in the active arm received oral vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) 100,000 IU per dose in 0.5 mL olive oil every 3 months for 18 months.

Key limitation

The trial was conducted in a single urban setting in Kabul, which may limit generalizability to other populations and seasons.

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Original abstract