Serum Vitamin D Concentration in Asthmatic Children and Its Association with Recovery Time from an Asthma Exacerbation
Syed Zaryab Ahmed *
Department of Biochemistry, Ziauddin Medical College, Ziauddin University,4/B, Shahra-e- Ghalib, Block 6 Clifton Karachi 75600, Pakistan.
Anila Jaleel
Department of Biochemistry, FMH College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
Kamran Hameed
Department of Medicine, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Farah Ahmed
Department of Community Health Sciences, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Hasan Danish
Department of Community Health Sciences, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Azhar Chugtai
Imam Clinic and General Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
Sultan Mustafa
Department of Paediatrics, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Introduction: The relationship of vitamin D and asthma is known but the association between vitamin D and time required to recover from acute asthma exacerbation has not been studied.
Aims: To find an association between serum vitamin D levels and time required to recover from an asthma exacerbation (recovery days) in asthmatic children from age 5 to 15 years. And to find association of other risk factors of asthma on recovery days.
Study Design: It was a cross sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Paediatrics, Qatar Hospital Orangi Town and Abbassi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi, between February 2012 to June 2014.
Methodology: We included 99 asthmatic children (60 male and 39 females; age range 5 to 15 years) at the time of an acute asthma exacerbation. Spirometry was done using Vitalograph (alpha) (UK). FEV1/FEVC ratio <80 % was used to confirm acute asthma exacerbation. Serum vitamin D levels were measured by chemiluminescence method using Abbott's ARCHITECT clinical chemistry analyzer. Children were followed up for confirming recovery by spirometry. FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC ratio within the reference ranges (The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and Polgar) were taken as normal.
Results: Applying Poisson regression model it was found out that that there was no association between vitamin D levels and time to recover from asthma (P =.398). 28.6% (n=2) children showed early recovery when recovery days were associated with exposure to home environment (P =0.000).
Conclusions: Despite the fact that 95% of the subjects with asthma had either vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency but there was no significant association between vitamin D levels and the time required to recover from an asthma exacerbation. Further studies are needed to establish the role of vitamin D in asthma.
Keywords: Asthma, exacerbation, vitamin D, Children, FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC