Vitamin D in Pediatric Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis: Benefits beyond Skeletal Health

Abstract

Deficiency of Vitamin D in the Indian subcontinent is emerging as a major non‐ infectious epidemic. To correlate vitamin D deficient children with the asthma and allergic rhinitis classification and pulmonary function tests. We studied 66 children with asthma and allergic rhinitis between 6 to 12 years of whom 33 cases were administered Vitamin D and 33 controls who were not given Vitamin D. The ethical committee approval was taken. It was a prospective, randomised and comparative study. Data was analysed using mean, standard deviation and paired‐ t test. The study revealed 42 (63.6%) males and 24 (36.4%) females. The Asthma classification depicted mild persistent in 37 (56.1%) followed by intermittent 16 (24.2%) and moderate persistent 12 (18.2%). Maximum cases of allergic rhinitis were moderate persistent 42 (63.6%). The Children who received vitamin D had significant improvement of Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV1, p‐0.000), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC, p‐0.005), FEV1: FVC% (p‐0.002) and Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR, p‐0.000). The control group showed significant improvement in the PEFR parameter (p‐ 0.0077). The case group showed marked improvement in the lung functions. Adherence to the duration of therapy for a period of 10 weeks with Vitamin D is mandatory.