Adequate Vitamin D Intake but Low Serum Levels in Pediatric Asthma Patients: A Pilot Study, Alberta Children’s Hospital

Abstract EN

Background.

We assessed vitamin D intakes and serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels in pediatric asthma patients on moderate-to-high dose inhaled steroids and compared them to published findings of healthy children in our city.

Methods.

Parents and/or patients were interviewed to estimate the children’s vitamin D intakes from foods and supplements (using an adapted validated food frequency questionnaire) and asthma duration and management.

Vitamin D status: serum 25-hyroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) was obtained from the medical records.

Results.

Vitamin D intakes from food and supplements of the asthma patients ( n = 20 , 742 ± 185 IU/day) were significantly higher compared to healthy Canadian children ( n = 1442 , 229 ± 121 IU/day).

Despite higher vitamin D intakes, the children had nonsignificantly lower serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels compared to the comparison group.

Serum 25(OH)D levels increased by 3.6 nmol/L with each 100 IU of vitamin D intake (95% Confidence interval = 2.0–4.0, R 2 = 0.931, and p = 0.001 ).

Conclusion.

Since adequate vitamin D status in asthma patients is necessary to support bone mineral accretion, it is important to achieve adequate vitamin D status by checking serum 25(OH)D status and supplement accordingly.