Otitis: a vitamin D cure could reduce the risk

Recurrent ear infections, especially when they occur in children under the age of 2, are often a source of concern for parents. Seemingly benign, if left untreated, in young children this condition can sometimes lead to deafness. An Italian study just presented at an International Conference on Antimicrobial Agents (Conference on Anti-Microbial Agents and Chemotherapy) will perhaps relieve the parents of these children with fragile ears. Indeed, these researchers have just shown that in children suffering from acute recurrent otitis media, vitamin D supplementation could bring a real benefit.

Vitamin D every day for 4 months

This team from the University of Milan carried out a study on 116 children of 34 months on average who all suffered from recurrent otitis media. To enter this survey, children had to have had three or more ear infections in the six months prior to the study, or four or more ear infections in the year prior to the study. These toddlers were then divided into two groups. One group of children was treated with daily doses of vitamin D for 4 months, while young patients in the other group received a placebo during the same period. All episodes of acute otitis media were recorded by these doctors for 6 months. Finally, the authors of this work measured the vitamin D concentration in the blood of all participants at the start. Whether in the placebo group, as in the other, all the children had blood levels of vitamin D below those recommended. Around 26 ng / ml while the recommended level at this age is 30 ng / ml.

Significantly less ear infections in children on vitamin D

And the results of this study are largely in favor of vitamin D supplementation in children at risk of ear infections. After just six months of follow-up, compared to the children in the placebo group, those who received a daily dose of vitamin D had significantly fewer ear infections. In detail, these researchers report 26 ear infections in the group of children treated against 38 among those who received a placebo. The authors add that the risk of complications from acute otitis media was significantly lower in the vitamin D group. “In clinical practice, this means in children with recurrent otitis media, we could check their vitamin D levels and for those whose rates are low, it would be possible to consider supplementation for the treatment of their disease “said Susanna Esposito, one of the authors of the study at this conference. At the end of the study, the rate of vitamin D content in the blood of children who had received the real treatment was significantly higher by 36.2 ng / ml compared to 18.7 ng / ml in the others.