Burçe ORMAN, Gürses ŞAHİN
Acta Medica - 2026;57(3):187-192
Objective: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the association between serum 25-OH vitamin D (25OHD) levels and the clinical course of febrile neutropenia in children with cancer. Materials and Methods: Seventy-seven pediatric cancer patients with febrile neutropenia and 25OHD levels measured at diagnosis were included. Forty-four healthy children served as controls. Clinical data including febrile neutropenia duration and related parameters were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The study included 77 patients (44 male, 33 female) and 44 controls (29 male, 15 female). Spearman correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between 25OHD levels and neutropenia duration (r=-0.249, p=0.029) and number of febrile days (r=-0.253, p=0.027). However, multivariate regression analysis showed that 25OHD level was not an independent predictor of these outcomes; leukemia diagnosis was the only independent predictor (p<0.001). Conclusion: Lower 25OHD levels were associated with longer neutropenia duration and more febrile days. However, this association was not independent of diagnosis. Vitamin D monitoring in pediatric cancer patients may be clinically relevant, but prospective studies are needed to confirm its role.
