Allergy Asthma Immunol Res.  2011 Oct;3(4):251-255. 10.4168/aair.2011.3.4.251.

The Relationship Between Serum 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D Levels and Asthma in Children

• Alyasin S
• Momen T
• Kashef S
• Alipour A
• Amin R

• KMID: 2167076
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2011.3.4.251

Abstract

PURPOSE
Asthma and other allergic disorders have increased over the past decades in nearly all nations. Many studies have suggested the role of vitamin D deficiency in both T-helper1 and T-helper2 diseases; however, the association between vitamin D, allergy, and asthma remains uncertain. In this study, the associations of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 levels with asthma and with the severity of asthma were evaluated.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 asthmatic children and 50 healthy controls aged 6-18 years. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 levels were determined and compared between the two groups. The relationship between serum vitamin D levels and pulmonary function test outcomes and eosinophil counts were examined in asthmatic patients.
RESULTS
Univariate analysis of the relationship between asthma and vitamin D showed that decreased vitamin D levels were associated with significantly increased odds of asthmatic state (P=0.002). In a multivariate analysis after adjustment for age, body mass index, and sex, the relationship between vitamin D and asthma increased. In asthmatic patients, 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels had direct and significant correlations with both predicted FEV1 (R2=0.318; P=0.024) and FEV1/FVC (R2=0.315; P=0.026). There were no associations between vitamin D level and eosinophil counts, duration of disease, and the number of hospitalization or unscheduled visits in the previous year (P>0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
These results showed that serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels were inversely associated with asthma, and there was a direct and significant relationship between vitamin D levels and pulmonary function test outcomes in asthmatic children. An interventional study in asthmatic patients with low serum vitamin D concentration may establish a causal relationship between asthma and vitamin D.

Keyword

Asthma; vitamin D; allergy

MeSH Terms

Aged
Asthma
Body Mass Index
Child
Cholecalciferol
Cross-Sectional Studies
Eosinophils
Hospitalization
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Multivariate Analysis
Respiratory Function Tests
Vitamin D
Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamins
Cholecalciferol
Vitamin D
Vitamins

Figure

• 

  Figure Correlation between vitamin D levels and predicted FEV1.

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