• J Dayre McNally, Kusum Menon, Margaret L Lawson, Kathryn Williams, and Dermot R Doherty.
• Division of Critical Care (J.D.M., K.M.), Research Institute (J.D.M., K.M., M.L.L.), and Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism (M.L.L.), Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L1, Canada; Clinical Research Center (K.W.), Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and Department of Intensive Care (D.R.D.), Temple St Children's University Hospital Dublin and University College Dublin 1, Ireland.
• J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2015 Aug 1;100(8):2942-5.

ContextMultiple adult and some pediatric critical care studies have suggested that poor vitamin D status is associated with illness severity and outcome. The majority have evaluated vitamin D status through serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. Critical illness-related organ dysfunction may result in impaired conversion of 25(OH)D to the active hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D]. Consequently 1,25(OH)2D levels could be an independent additive prognostic marker in the intensive care unit.ObjectivesThe distribution of 1,25(OH)2D levels, prevalence of low levels, investigation of risk factors, and tests for associations with markers of illness severity and outcome are reported.Design, Setting, And PatientsThis was a secondary analysis of data and samples collected as part of a prospective cohort study in six Canadian pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).Main Outcome MeasureAdmission blood 1,25(OH)2D concentrations were measured.ResultsThe median cohort 1,25(OH)2D level was 93.3 pmol/L (interquartile range, 53.0-121.9) with 13% (95% confidence interval, 9-17) and 21% (95% confidence interval, 17-27) of patients having levels of <40 and <50 pmol/L, respectively. Low 1,25(OH)2D levels occurred more often in patients with low 25(OH)D and hepatic, renal, and parathyroid organ dysfunction. After adjustment for 25(OH)D, low 1,25(OH)2D levels were not associated with catecholamine or fluid administration, ventilation, PICU length of stay, or mortality.ConclusionCritically ill children are at risk for low 1,25(OH)2D levels, particularly in the presence of established risk factors. However, the lack of association between the 1,25(OH)2D level and selected outcome measures, after controlling for 25(OH)D, does not suggest value in measuring this metabolite at the time of PICU admission.

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