Bronchiectasis in children and vitamin D deficiency: what is primary?

Abstract

Bronchiectasis in children is a chronic polyetiological pathology, the pathogenesis of which involves a complex interaction between the host, respiratory pathogens and environmental factors. The potential contribution of vitamin D deficiency to the development of bronchiectasis in children is of particular clinical importance, given the growing prevalence of vitamin D deficiency worldwide and the significant incidence of bronchiectasis, especially among children.Clinical case. The article presents a clinical case that illustrates the development of bronchiectasis in a child with a disorder of vitamin - D-controlled pathomorphological processes, which is probably the cause of dysmorphic disorders not only in the musculoskeletal system but also in the bronchi. Genetic analysis helped to confirm the primacy of vitamin D deficiency in the development of bronchiectasis in girls. Prescribed treatment with therapeutic doses of vitamin D had a positive effect. However, unfortunately, in this case there were already partially irreversible morphological changes.Conclusions. Children with recurrent or chronic bronchopulmonary disease with impaired vitamin D metabolism have a higher risk of developing bronchiectasis. Determining the level of vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) and genetic analysis of VDBP gene polymorphisms can be useful both for verifying the diagnosis and for personalizing the treatment of such patients.The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent of the child’s parents was obtained for the research.No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.