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Serum level of vitamin D and trace elements in children with recurrent wheezing: a cross-sectional study

Metin Uysalol1, Ezgi Pasli Uysalol, Yasin Yilmaz

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Capa, 34390 Istanbul, Turkey. metin.uysalol@gmail.com.

BMC Pediatrics
|October 17, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Recurrent wheezing in children is linked to lower vitamin D and zinc levels, and higher copper levels. These biomarkers, along with the Asthma Predictive Index, may help assess asthma risk.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Nutritional Immunology
  • Biomarker Discovery

Background:

  • Wheezing is a common respiratory symptom in children, with recurrence often indicating underlying conditions like asthma.
  • Nutritional factors, including vitamin D, zinc, and copper, may play a role in respiratory health and wheezing phenotypes.
  • Understanding the relationship between these micronutrients and wheezing patterns is crucial for early diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between serum levels of vitamin D, zinc, and copper and the recurrence of wheezing in children.
  • To compare these micronutrient levels in children with recurrent wheezing versus healthy controls.
  • To explore the potential of these biomarkers in predicting asthma risk.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 73 wheezy children and 75 healthy controls.
  • Assessment of clinical characteristics, Asthma Predictive Index (API), and temporal wheeze patterns (episodic vs. multiple-trigger).
  • Measurement of serum vitamin D, zinc, and copper levels, with Pearson correlation analysis.

Main Results:

  • No significant overall difference in vitamin D and trace elements between wheezy children and controls.
  • Significantly lower vitamin D and zinc levels in children with recurrent wheezing, positive API, and multiple-trigger wheeze.
  • Significantly higher serum copper and copper/zinc ratio observed in children with recurrent wheezing, positive API, and multiple-trigger wheeze.

Conclusions:

  • Serum vitamin D, copper, and zinc levels may serve as potential biomarkers for identifying children at risk of recurrent wheezing.
  • These micronutrient levels, alongside the Asthma Predictive Index and wheeze patterns, could aid in routine asthma risk determination.
  • Further research could validate the utility of these biomarkers in clinical practice for pediatric respiratory conditions.
Abstract

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