Relationship Between Serum Vitamin D, Disease Severity, and Airway Remodeling in Children With Asthma

Abstract

A Gupta, A Sjoukes, D Richards. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011;184(12):1342–1349 To evaluate the relationship between serum vitamin D, lung function, and airway remodeling pathology in pediatric severe, therapy-resistant asthmatics (STRA). Studied were 86 children, aged 6 to 16 years, 36 with STRA, 26 with moderate asthma (MA), and 24 without asthma (control). STRA was defined as those receiving at least 800 μg of inhaled steroids (beclomethasone equivalent) per day and additional controller medications. MA was defined as well-controlled asthma on <800 μg of beclomethasone equivalent per day. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D3] was measured. Symptom control was assessed by the childhood asthma control test (ACT). Acute asthma exacerbations were defined as requiring high-dose oral steroids for at least 3 …