Vitamin D supplementation prevents asthma exacerbation in children
Previous studies suggest that vitamin D may play a role in the pathogenesis of asthma. Taking into account deficiency of vitamin D in asthmatic population, the results of clinical trials concerning vitamin D supplementation seem to be of high clinical importance.
In a Letter to the Editor published in the February 2011 issue of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI), Majak and Stelmach report on their double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessing the effect of vitamin D supplementation in the time period from September to July on symptoms score, lung functions and the number of exacerbations in children with newly diagnosed asthma.
Despite the lack of any significant difference between the study groups as far as the absolute changes of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were concerned, the number of children with the decrease of 25(OH)D was significantly lower in the group treated with vitamin D (500 IU cholecalciferol) added to inhaled corticosteroid than in the control group treated with inhaled corticosteroid only.
What is the most important finding of this study, vitamin D supplementation decreased the number of asthma exacerbation triggered by acute respiratory tract infection. Although the dose of vitamin D was inadequate to increase 25(OH)D serum levels, yet significant benefits were achieved in this study.
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) is the official scientific journal of the AAAAI, and is the most-cited journal in the field of allergy and clinical immunology.