A STUDY TO EVALUATE VITAMIN D LEVELS IN CHILDREN WITH BRONCHIAL ASTHMA

Abstract

Background: Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in childhood. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased airway hyperresponsiveness, lower pulmonary function, worse asthma control and steroid resistance.

Aims and objectives:

1: To study the levels of vitamin D in children with bronchial asthma.

2: To study co-relationship between vitamin D level and severity of asthma.

Material and Methods: Asthma patients of 4-15 years of age were classified according to GINA guidelines and were taken as cases. Children of age group 4-15 years attending pediatric OPD clinic for minor illness with no features of asthma were taken as controls. The total of 80 subjects  were taken in a study including 40 cases and 40 controls. The patients were grouped on the basis of vitamin D as sufficient vitamin D and deficient vitamin D groups. In the cases, the relationship between severity of asthma and vitamin D level was also established.

Results: Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent in asthmatic patiants as compared to controls, and there was a significant relationship between serum vitamin D levels and severity of asthma.

Conclusion: Measuring serum levels of vitamin D followed by supplementation could be considered in the routine assessment of patients with bronchial asthma.