Effect of vitamin D supplementation on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

INTRODUCTION: The importance of vitamin D for bone health as well as its role in non-skeletal functions has long been documented. However, review investigations on the effect of vitamin D supplementation on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in children and adolescents are scarce. The aims of the current study were to assess the impact of various doses of vitamin D supplementation on serum 25(OH)D concentrations in children and adolescents, and to identify relevant determinants of variations in the effect of vitamin D supplementation. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases up to 27 September 2017 will systematically be searched for randomised controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation. We considered articles with the following control groups as eligible: placebo control, control group without any supplementation or a comparative arm investigation. Two reviewers will assess articles for eligibility according to prespecified selection criteria, after which data extraction and quality appraisal will be conducted by two independent reviewers. The quality assessment will be assessed using the Jadad scale. Meta-analyses will be conducted where appropriate. We will express continuous measures (ie, serum 25(OH)D concentration) as mean differences with 95% CIs. Heterogeneity of the data will be investigated via visual inspection of the forest plots and using χ(2) test on N-1 df, with a significance level of α=0.1. We will also assess individual study and subgroup characteristics and perform a sensitivity analysis. Publication bias will be assessed using funnel plot and statistical analysis of Egger’s test. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required because the work will be carried out on published documents. The authors will publish findings from this review through peer-reviewed publication or conference presentations. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42017067179.