Asia Pac Allergy.  2017 Oct;7(4):213-220. 10.5415/apallergy.2017.7.4.213.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D inversely associated with blood eosinophils in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis

• Wu HY
• Chen JX
• Tian HQ
• Zhang XL
• Bian HY
• Cheng L

• KMID: 2410215
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5415/apallergy.2017.7.4.213

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The relationship between vitamin D and allergic rhinitis (AR) remains unclear. The present study investigated their association by examining serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels, blood eosinophils, and the expression of vitamin D receptors (VDR) on nasal mucosa in patients with AR.
METHODS
A total of 32 patients with persistent AR and 25 controls were enrolled in this study. Serum 25(OH)D levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and eosinophils in the peripheral blood were examined by an automated hematology system, while VDR expression on inferior turbinate mucosa was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, the correlation of serum 25(OH)D levels with blood eosinophils in persistent AR was analyzed.
RESULTS
No significant difference in serum 25(OH)D levels was detected between the AR and control groups (p = 0.371). Interestingly, the serum 25(OH)D levels of the AR group were negatively correlated with blood eosinophil count and its proportion (p = 0.019 and p = 0.010, respectively) even when adjusting confounding factors including age, sex, body mass index, and the season of blood sampling. On the other hand, no significant difference in the expression levels of VDR on nasal mucosa was found between the AR group and the control group (p = 0.231).
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that the serum 25(OH)D might be inversely associated with blood eosinophils in patients with persistent AR. However, the relationship between vitamin D and AR still requires further clarification

Keyword

Rhinitis, allergic; Eosinophils; Vitamin D; 25-hydroxyvitamin D; Vitamin D receptors; Nasal mucosa

MeSH Terms

Body Mass Index
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Eosinophils*
Hand
Hematology
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Mucous Membrane
Nasal Mucosa
Receptors, Calcitriol
Rhinitis, Allergic*
Seasons
Turbinates
Vitamin D
Receptors, Calcitriol
Vitamin D

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Expression of vitamin D receptors on nasal mucosa (magnification, ×400). (A) The majority of epithelial cells of the nasal mucosa were moderately to strongly stained a distinct brown color. (B) Negative control staining. The expression scale was determined based on the intensity and proportion of immunoreactive cells in individual slides of the nasal mucosa, and was classified as no staining, weak, moderate, and strong.

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