ESPE Abstracts

Background: In both asthma and vitamin D deficiency is common. The results from studies examining the relationship between them is contradictory.

Objective and hypotheses: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship vitamin D levels and clinical parameters of asthma in children.

Method: One hundred twenty children with asthma, followed up in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Department were included. Seventy-four children with no evidence of allergic disease, were included as the control group. The eosinophil counts, immunoglobulin (Ig) E levels and serum 25OHD levels were measured. Skin prick tests were applied using same allergens to all patients.

Results: This study consisted of 73 (60.8%) male and mean age of 4.4±1.2 years as patient group. There was no significant difference between patient and control groups in respect to gender, age. Mean 25OHD3 level was 21.49±7.74 ng/ml in study group and 23.94±8.97 ng/ml in control group. The difference was not significant (P=0.094). The patients with asthma were grouped according to vitamin D status as ‘deficient (Group-1)’, ‘insufficient (Group-2)’ and ‘normal (Group-3)’. Total number of the exacerbations, asthma severity, and systemic glucocorticoid need in the previous year were significantly higher in deficiency group. (P<0.05). Vitamin D levels were negatively correlated with severity of asthma (r: −0.310; P: 0.001), duration of wheezing (r: −0.297; P: 0.001), total number of exacerbations (r: −0.441; P: 0.000), number of exacerbations in the previous year (r: −0.307; P: 0.001) and systemic glucocorticoid need in the previous year (r: −0.347; P: 0.000).

Conclusion: Vitamin D levels were not significantly different in patients with asthma, since vitamin D deficiency was common in study group and also in the control group. Clinical severity of disease, the number of exacerbations, and systemic glucocorticoid need were related with vitamin D level.