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Vitamin D deficiency as a strong predictor of asthma in children

Abdulbari Bener1, Mohammad S Ehlayel, Meri K Tulic

  • 1Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. abener@hmc.org.qa

International Archives of Allergy and Immunology
|October 12, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Vitamin D deficiency is common in children with asthma, with 68.1% of asthmatic children deficient. Low vitamin D levels are a significant predictor of childhood asthma in Qatar.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Epidemiological data suggests a correlation between early-life vitamin D deficiency and the subsequent development of asthma.
  • Understanding this link is crucial for pediatric respiratory health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify serum vitamin D levels in children diagnosed with asthma.
  • To compare these levels against a control group of healthy, non-asthmatic children.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 483 asthmatic children and 483 healthy controls under 16 years were recruited in Qatar.
  • Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, magnesium, creatinine, and parathyroid hormone were assayed.
  • Vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum levels below 20 ng/ml.

Main Results:

  • Asthmatic children exhibited significantly lower serum vitamin D levels (p < 0.001) compared to controls.
  • A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was observed in asthmatic children (68.1%), with higher rates of moderate and severe deficiency.
  • Reduced phosphorus and magnesium, elevated alkaline phosphatase and IgE, less sunlight exposure, and lower physical activity were noted in asthmatics.
  • Vitamin D deficiency emerged as the strongest predictor of asthma (OR 4.82).

Conclusions:

  • The majority of asthmatic children in this study presented with vitamin D deficiency.
  • Vitamin D deficiency is a significant predictor of asthma in the pediatric population of Qatar.
Abstract

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