Allergic rhinitis and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level in Korean adults

Recently, it has been suggested that airway hyper-responsiveness, asthma, and atopic dermatitis are associated with a low vitamin D level.

To evaluate whether the occurrence of allergic rhinitis (AR) is related to serum vitamin D levels in the general Korean adult population.

Data obtained as part of the fourth annual Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2009) of 8,012 adults older than 18 years were analyzed. The correlation between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) level and presence of AR using questionnaires on symptoms, history of diagnosis of AR, and rhinoscopic findings were analyzed. All estimates were calculated based on sampling weight.

Mean age was 44.41 years and men constituted 49.8% of the sample. Participants with diagnosed AR constituted 11.1%. The mean 25(OH)D level of the AR group was lower than that of the non-AR group (16.71 ± 0.30 vs 17.75 ± 0.25 ng/mL, P < .001). A comparison of the prevalence of AR in the 3 groups showed that AR steadily decreased in the higher 25(OH)D groups (13.0% in group I [<15 ng/mL], 11.5% in group II [≥15-<25 ng/mL], and 7.2% in group III [≥25 ng/mL], P < .001). After adjusting for body mass index, smoking status, age, sex, sun exposure, income quartile, exercise, and body fat percentage, lower serum 25(OH)D levels remained significantly associated with the presence of AR compared with group III (hazard ratio 1.559 in group I and 1.430 in group II).

This study suggested a potential association between low vitamin D levels and AR prevalence in Korean adults.