Vitamin D for prevention of respiratory tract infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics , 2012 , Volume 3, Issue 4,Page 300-303

Jaykaran Charan1, Jagdish P Goyal2, Deepak Saxena3, Preeti Yadav1

1 Department of Pharmacology, Govt. Medical College, Rajkot, India

2 Department of Pharmacology, P. D. U. Govt. Medical College, Rajkot, India

3 Department of Epidemiology, Indian Institute of Public Health, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

Date of Web Publication 24-Nov-2012

Correspondence Address: Jaykaran Charan, Department of Pharmacology, Govt. Medical College, Surat, Gujarat, India

Objectives : To explore the effect of vitamin D supplementation in prevention of respiratory tract infections on the basis of published clinical trials.

Materials and Methods : Clinical trials were searched from various electronic databases. Five clinical trials were suitable for inclusion. Outcome was events of respiratory tract infections in vitamin D group and placebo group. Data was reported as odds ratio with 95% confidence interval. Both random and fixed model was used for analysis. Analysis was done with the help of Comprehensive meta-analysis software 2.

Results : Events of respiratory tract infections were significantly lower in vitamin D group as compared to control group [Odds ratio = 0.582 (0.417 - 0.812) P = 0.001] according to random model. Results were similar in fixed model. On separate analysis of clinical trials dealing with groups of children and adults, beneficial effect of vitamin D was observed in both, according to fixed model [Odds ratio = 0.579 (0.416 - 0.805), P = 0.001 and Odd ratio = 0.653 (0.472 - 0.9040, P = 0.010 respectively]. On using random model beneficial effect persisted in children's group but became nonsignificant in adults group [Odds ratio = 0.579 (0.416 - 0.805), P = 0.001 and Odd ratio = 0.544 (0.278 - 1.063) P = 0.075 respectively].

Conclusion : Vitamin D supplementation decreases the events related to respiratory tract infections. There is need of more well conducted clinical trials to reach to a certain conclusion.

How to cite this article:

Charan J, Goyal JP, Saxena D, Yadav P. Vitamin D for prevention of respiratory tract infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Pharmacol Pharmacother 2012;3:300-3

How to cite this URL:

Charan J, Goyal JP, Saxena D, Yadav P. Vitamin D for prevention of respiratory tract infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Pharmacol Pharmacother [serial online] 2012 [cited 2012 Nov 27];3:300-3. Available http://www.jpharmacol.com/text.asp?2012/3/4/300/103685

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Note that only vitamin D monotherapy was considered, thus ignoring trials using cofactors

PDF is attached at the bottom of this page

See also VitaminDWiki

• Lower Respiratory Tract Infection in Infants reduced 5.9 X by daily 600 IU of vitamin D (China) - March 2020

• Fewer respiratory infections if optimal level of vitamin D (more than 47 ng) – Sept 2013

• Vitamin D and Respiratory Tract Infections – meta-analysis with charts June 2013

• Acute respiratory infection treated by vitamin D in 6 of 12 clinical trials – review Nov 2012

• 100 percent of Acute Respiratory Failure patients had low vitamin D - April 2012

• Overview Asthma and Vitamin D

• All items in Breathing and Vitamin D items

• All items in category Inflammation and Vitamin D items

• Crescendo of papers on Asthma, Allergy, and Vitamin D – Sept 2011

• Just 300 IU daily of vitamin D reduced respiratory infections by 50% – RCT Aug 2012

• Acute lower respiratory infection 5X more frequent with low vitamin D intake – June 2012

• Respiratory infections reduced by 63 % with 4000 IU vitamin D daily - RCT Dec 2012

See also web (another analysis)

• Vitamin D in the prevention of acute respiratory infection: systematic review of clinical studies Dec 2012
  • presented originally at Vitamin D Workshop in the summer of 2012
  • 25 Observational studies: broadly consistent inverse associations between vitamin D status/intake and risk of acute respiratory infection.
  • Clinical trials: 7 positive results, 7 null
  • Comment by VitaminDWiki: it is likely that the null results were due to not using large enough doses of vitamin D, e.g. 400 IU