Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 10, 2026
Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
Published on: August 7, 2017
Vitamin D deficiency and its impact on asthma severity in asthmatic children
Nasrin Esfandiar1, Fariba Alaei2, Shahrzad Fallah3
1Pediatric Nephrology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mofid Children's Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Insights
Vitamin D deficiency significantly increases the risk of childhood asthma. However, vitamin D levels do not predict asthma severity or control status in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Nutritional Immunology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Emerging evidence links vitamin D to fetal lung development, but its role in childhood asthma severity remains unclear.
- Understanding vitamin D's impact on pediatric asthma is crucial for public health and clinical management.
- This study investigates the association between vitamin D levels and asthma severity in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and asthma severity in children.
- To determine if vitamin D levels can predict asthma control status in pediatric patients.
- To evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in asthmatic children compared to healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 106 children (53 asthmatic, 53 healthy) in Tehran.
- Serum vitamin D levels were measured using radioimmunoassay and categorized as sufficient, insufficient, or deficient.
- Asthma control was classified as controlled, partially controlled, or uncontrolled.
Main Results:
- Vitamin D deficiency was significantly more prevalent in asthmatic children (73.6%) than in healthy children (49.1%) (p=0.005).
- Asthma presence was strongly associated with reduced vitamin D levels (OR=1.068, P=0.001), with a 6.3 times higher risk in deficient children.
- No significant association was found between vitamin D deficiency and asthma severity or control status.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin D deficiency is a significant predictor of increased risk for childhood asthma.
- Vitamin D levels do not appear to predict the severity or control status of asthma in children.
- Further research may explore the mechanisms underlying vitamin D's role in asthma development.
Background:
Despite obtaining evidences on association between vitamin D and development of lung in fetus, little is known about vitamin D level and its impact on severity of asthma in children. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between the asthma severity and vitamin D deficiency in asthmatic children.
Methods:
This case-control study was conducted on 106 individuals including asthmatic (n = 53) and healthy children (n = 53) who referred to Mofid hospital in Tehran in 2013. The level of serum vitamin D in both groups was measured by radioimmunoassay method at the reference lab and was categorized as sufficient (> 30 ng/ml), insufficient (20 to 30 ng/ml), or deficient (< 20 ng/ml). The control status of asthma in patients group was classified as controlled, partially controlled, and uncontrolled.
Results:
In the groups with and without asthma, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 73.6 and 49.1%, and the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency was 18.9 and 18.9%, while normal vitamin D level was revealed in 7.5 and 32.1%, respectively with a significant difference (p = 0.005). Using the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the presence of asthma was associated with reduced level of vitamin D (OR = 1.068, 95% CI: 1.027-1.110, P = 0.001). In this context, the risk for asthma in the children with vitamin D deficiency was 6.3 times of those with normal vitamin D level. Although the presence of asthma was strongly associated with reduced level of vitamin D in serum, neither severity of asthma nor control status of asthma were associated with vitamin D deficiency.
Conclusion:
The presence of vitamin D deficiency effectively predict increased risk for childhood asthma; however the severity or control status of this event may not be predicted by confirming vitamin D deficiency.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Asthma-III: Symptoms and Complications
Classification of Asthma
01:20Asthma: Pathogenesis and Management
Asthma is classified as allergic and non-allergic. Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander trigger allergic asthma, while factors like cold air, intense emotions, or exercise can induce non-allergic asthma.
01:30Asthma-IV: Diagnostic and Management
Clinical Assessment for Asthma:
This is the first step in diagnosing and managing asthma. It includes:
01:29Asthma-I: Introduction
01:26Asthma-II: Pathophysiology and Classification
Additionally, environmental and genetic factors play crucial roles in determining an individual's susceptibility to asthma and the severity of their condition.
Critical processes in asthma pathophysiology include:
01:30Asthma-IV: Nursing Management
First, in...