4+ articles on vitamin D in this issue

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Vitamin D Deficiency as a Strong Predictor of Asthma in Children

PEDIATRICS Vol. 130 No. Supplement 1 October 1, 2012 pp. S6

A Bener, MS Ehlayel, MK Tulic, Q Hamid. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2012;157(2):168–175

Sarah A. Taylor-Black, MD and Julie Wang, MD, New York, NY

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY.

Epidemiologic studies suggest a link between vitamin D deficiency in early life and the development of asthma later in life. The purpose of this study was to measure serum vitamin D levels in children with asthma and compare these children with healthy, nonasthmatic controls.

STUDY POPULATION.

Asthmatic (n = 483) and healthy control (n = 483) children were recruited from the Pediatric Allergy-Immunology Clinics of Hamad General Hospital and the Primary Health Care Clinics in Qatar from October 2009 to July 2010. All …

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Gene–Vitamin D Interactions on Food Sensitization: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study

X Liu, G Wang, X Hong. Allergy. 2011;66(11):1442–1448

Karen Robbins, MD and Robert Wood, MD, Baltimore, MD

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY.

To explore the relationship of vitamin D deficiency and food sensitization, by investigating whether cord blood vitamin D deficiency is associated with food sensitization and whether such an association can be modified by genetic variants in a prospective birth cohort study.

STUDY POPULATION.

Children (N = 649) enrolled at birth in the Boston Birth Cohort and followed prospectively were studied. Children were included if data were available for cord blood 25(OH)D concentration, specific immunoglobulin …

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

A Gupta, A Sjoukes, D Richards. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011;184(12):1342–1349

Todd A. Mahr, MD and Jennilee Mumm, PA-C, La Crosse, WI

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY.

To evaluate the relationship between serum vitamin D, lung function, and airway remodeling pathology in pediatric severe, therapy-resistant asthmatics (STRA).

STUDY POPULATION.

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 ?g of inhaled steroids (beclomethasone equivalent) per day and additional controller medications. MA was defined as well-controlled asthma on <800 ?g of beclomethasone equivalent per day.

METHODS.

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 …

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Steroid Requirements and Immune Associations With Vitamin D Are Stronger in Children Than Adults With Asthma

E Goleva, DA Searing, LP Jackson. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012;129(5):1243–1251

Mitchell R. Lester, MD; Norwalk, CT

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY.

To compare the age-specific relationship between serum vitamin D (25-OH-D) levels and allergic sensitization, vitamin D receptor (VDR) activation pathways, peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) steroid responsiveness, and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) requirements in children and adults with asthma.

STUDY POPULATION.

One hundred three patients with asthma (53 children, 50 adults) and 102 healthy control subjects (51 children, 51 adults) were matched for age, gender, race, and BMI.

METHODS.

Serum 25-OH-D levels were checked during the winter in all subjects. Inducible markers of VDR activation (cytochrome P450 family 24 [cyp24a] mRNA and plasma cathelicidin [LL-37]) were measured. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-? and interleukin …

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