Publication:

Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D in asthmatic children and its relation to disease severity

Background Asthma is a chronic immunological disorder of the lungs. Vitamin D has several effects on the innate and adaptive immune systems. Little is known about vitamin D level and its impact on severity of asthma in children. This study aimed to determine vitamin D levels in asthmatics versus control children; studying the relation if any between these levels and asthma severity.

Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 asthmatic children and 20 apparently healthy children as controls. Asthma patients were divided into 3 groups (mild, moderate, severe; 20 each). Asthma severity was based on GINA criteria. Vitamin D level was measured to all study group.

Results The difference between the mean values of vitamin D level in control and asthmatic patients was statistically significant (p<0.001). This difference between control group and each asthma subgroup and between asthma subgroups versus each other were statistically significant being highest in control and lowest in patients with severe asthma (p<0.001). Differences in vitamin D status in control and all asthmatic patients were statistically significant (p<0.001). The difference between control group and each asthma subgroup according to vitamin D status were statistically significant (p<0.001). Concerning asthma subgroups the difference in vitamin D status between severe versus mild and moderate asthma were statistically significant (p<0.001), while between mild and moderate asthma it was not.

Conclusions Significantly lower vitamin D level in asthmatic children compared to controls and a differential decrease in vitamin D levels in asthmatic children being lowest in severe asthma was confirmed.