Vitamin D deficiency and adult asthma exacerbations. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • There is growing evidence indicating a connection between vitamin D deficiency and the severity of asthma exacerbations. This study seeks to assess the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and the number and severity of asthma exacerbation in adults.A retrospective analysis was conducted in 92 patients being treated for asthma at the University of New Mexico Adult Asthma Clinic. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels were analyzed in adults with mild to severe persistent asthma. Using multi-variant modeling, the relationship was examined between serum vitamin D levels and the odds of asthma exacerbations ranging in severity from moderate to severe over the span of five years.This study demonstrates that vitamin D sufficiency was significantly associated with a decreased total number of asthma exacerbations (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.44-0.84, p = 0.002), decreased total severe asthma exacerbations (IRR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.24-0.72, p = 0.002) and decreased emergency room visits (IRR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.20-0.88, p = 0.023).Vitamin D deficiency may be linked to the risk of severe asthma exacerbations in adults.

publication date

  • November 2014