Abstract
Introduction: Role of diet in causation and exacerbation of asthma has been proposed by numerous authors, of which the role of vitamin D status is of particular interest. The present study is aimed to assess the association of vitamin D levels with the severity of bronchial asthma.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of General Medicine, DY Patil School of Medicine, Navi Mumbai in which 90 asthmatic patients were included. Using a pre-designed semi-structured questionnaire, demographic and clinical information of the patients was obtained. Biochemical variables like serum calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase and vitamin D levels were noted. Mean vitamin D levels of patients with mild, moderate and severe asthma were compared.
Results: The baseline demographic data of the patients like age and gender distribution was similar in the three asthmatic groups. Serum 25-OH-cholicalciferol levels were significantly lower (p value <0.01) among patients with severe asthma. Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml) was observed in a total of 30 patients, insufficiency (20 to 29 ng/ml) in 44 patients and sufficiency (30 to 100 ng/ml) in 16 patients. Vitamin D levels were found to be significantly associated with the severity of asthma (p value < 0.001).
Conclusions: The appropriate dose, route, and safety of vitamin D supplementation in asthmatics needs to be established. Molecular studies of vitamin D receptors to explain the role of vitamin D supplementation in asthma are needed in future.
Keywords: Asthma severity; Bronchial asthma; Vitamin D deficiency; Vitamin D insufficiency.
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Corresponding Author
Dr Hanadi Habib Mehrali
Department of General Medicine, DY Patil University, School of Medicine, Nerul, Navi Mumbai-400706, India
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i3.54
