To investigate the prevention effect of Vitamin D₂ on childhood community acquired pneumonia.

Total of 320 cases of normal children aged from 2 to 4 years old were divided into the control group (526 cases) and observation group (534 cases), randomly. Both with general health guidance in two groups, children in observation group were given vitamin D₂ injection with a dose of 5 000 IU/kg according to body weight per month, within a treatment period of 3 months. Childhood’s serum 25 (OH) D levels were detected one time separately at the beginning of treatment, 3 months after treatment and 1 year follow-up, respectively. The frequency of hospitalization was recorded due to childhood community acquired pneumonia with a clinical endpoint of 1 year after treatment follow-up. Childhood’s serum 25 (OH) D level, annual occurrence frequency and rates, side-effect occurrence rate were set as evaluation index.

Among all the children, the average serum 25 (OH) D level was 42.5 nmol/L, the deficiency and insufficiency of Vitamin D was 62.4% (661/1 060). Comparison between the two groups, the serum 25 (OH) D levels after treatment were 45.7 nmol/L and 79.7 nmol/L, with significant difference (t = 28.69, P < 0.001), were 44.6 nmol/L and 75.4 nmol/L after 1 year follow-up, with significant difference (t = 28.79, P < 0.001). Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were 60.1% and 9.7% after treatment (χ² = 282.93, P < 0.001), and were 60.7% versus 19.4 after 1 year follow-up (χ² = 187.87, P < 0.001), both with significant differences. Hospitalization rates for community-acquired pneumonia were 23.6% (126/534) and 6.8% (36/526) of children in the two groups, with significant difference (χ² = 61.7, P < 0.001). No significant adverse reaction of children in the control group, there were 2 children had thirst, atony in the observation group with a incidence rate of 0.38% (χ² = 2.07, P = 0.19) .

The community children aged from 2 to 4 obtain high occurrence rate for Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency. This deficiency and insufficiency could be improved by giving 5 000 IU/kg of Vitamin D₂ per month. With safety and effective, the occurrence of childhood community acquired pneumonia could be prevented and shrinked by giving Vitamin D₂ supply.