Severity of asthma and Vitamin D status in children: A case–control study in a tertiary care center

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Studies to find the relation between asthma severity and Vitamin D yielded controversial reports. The objective of the present study is to find the association between severity of asthma and Vitamin D status in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case–control study was conducted in a tertiary teaching hospital. Details were obtained from children with asthma in the age group of 2–12 years who were under follow-up in the respiratory clinic. They were categorized into two groups according to the Global Initiative for Asthma criteria. Those with moderate-to-severe asthma were grouped as cases, and those with mild asthma were grouped as controls. Vitamin D estimation was done, and levels were analyzed with different levels of asthma severity. RESULTS: Among 140 children with childhood asthma studied, 64 (45.7%) had mild asthma and 76 (54.3%) had moderate-to-severe asthma. Vitamin D was insufficient in 55 (72.4%) cases and 30 (46.9%) controls. There was a significant correlation between severity of asthma and Vitamin D levels (P = 0.001) and peripheral eosinophilia (P = 0.02). Logistic regression analysis showed that Vitamin D insufficiency could increase the risk for severe asthma, which remained after adjustment for potential confounders (odds ratio: 2.81 with 95% confidence interval: 1.36–5.82). CONCLUSION: Screening for Vitamin D insufficiency is suggested for children with severe asthma. Vitamin D supplementation could avoid increasing steroid dose/adding new drugs as controllers.