Vitamin D Supplementation for Childhood Asthma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2015

Bruno D Riverin, and Jonathon L Maguire, and Patricia Li
Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

OBJECTIVE There is growing evidence that vitamin D plays a role in the pathogenesis of asthma but it is unclear whether supplementation during childhood may improve asthma outcomes. OBJECTIVE The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of vitamin D supplementation as a treatment or adjunct treatment for asthma. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, and CINAHL through July 2014. METHODS We included RCTs that evaluated vitamin D supplementation in children versus active control or placebo for asthma. METHODS One reviewer extracted data and one reviewer verified data accuracy. We qualitatively summarized the main results of efficacy and safety and meta-analyzed data on comparable outcomes across studies. We used GRADE for strength of evidence. METHODS Main planned outcomes measures were ED visits and hospitalizations. As secondary outcomes, we examined measures of asthma control, including frequency of asthma exacerbations, asthma symptom scores, measures of lung function, β2-agonist use and daily steroid use, adverse events and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. RESULTS Eight RCTs (one parallel, one crossover design) comprising 573 children aged 3 to 18 years were included. One study (moderate-quality, n = 100) reported significantly less ED visits for children treated with vitamin D. No other studies examined the primary outcome (ED visits and hospitalizations). There was a reduced risk of asthma exacerbations in children receiving vitamin D (low-quality; RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.63, 3 studies, n = 378). There was no significant effect for asthma symptom scores and lung function. The serum 25(OH)D level was higher in the vitamin D group at the end of the intervention (low-quality; MD 19.66 nmol/L, 95% CI 5.96 nmol/L to 33.37 nmol/L, 5 studies, n = 167). CONCLUSIONS We identified a high degree of clinical diversity (interventions and outcomes) and methodological heterogeneity (sample size and risk of bias) in included trials. CONCLUSIONS Randomized controlled trials provide some low-quality evidence to support vitamin D supplementation for the reduction of asthma exacerbations. Evidence on the benefits of vitamin D supplementation for other asthma-related outcomes in children is either limited or inconclusive. We recommend that future trials focus on patient-relevant outcomes that are comparable across studies, including standardized definitions of asthma exacerbations.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D012129 Respiratory Function Tests Measurement of the various processes involved in the act of respiration: inspiration, expiration, oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, lung volume and compliance, etc. Lung Function Tests,Pulmonary Function Tests,Function Test, Pulmonary,Function Tests, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Function Test,Test, Pulmonary Function,Tests, Pulmonary Function,Function Test, Lung,Function Test, Respiratory,Function Tests, Lung,Function Tests, Respiratory,Lung Function Test,Respiratory Function Test,Test, Lung Function,Test, Respiratory Function,Tests, Lung Function,Tests, Respiratory Function
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D001249 Asthma A form of bronchial disorder with three distinct components: airway hyper-responsiveness (RESPIRATORY HYPERSENSITIVITY), airway INFLAMMATION, and intermittent AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION. It is characterized by spasmodic contraction of airway smooth muscle, WHEEZING, and dyspnea (DYSPNEA, PAROXYSMAL). Asthma, Bronchial,Bronchial Asthma,Asthmas
D014807 Vitamin D A vitamin that includes both CHOLECALCIFEROLS and ERGOCALCIFEROLS, which have the common effect of preventing or curing RICKETS in animals. It can also be viewed as a hormone since it can be formed in SKIN by action of ULTRAVIOLET RAYS upon the precursors, 7-dehydrocholesterol and ERGOSTEROL, and acts on VITAMIN D RECEPTORS to regulate CALCIUM in opposition to PARATHYROID HORMONE.
D044623 Nutrition Therapy Improving health status of an individual by adjusting the quantities, qualities, and methods of nutrient intake. Medical Nutrition Therapy,Nutrition Therapy, Medical,Therapy, Medical Nutrition,Therapy, Nutrition
D018592 Cross-Over Studies Studies comparing two or more treatments or interventions in which the subjects or patients, upon completion of the course of one treatment, are switched to another. In the case of two treatments, A and B, half the subjects are randomly allocated to receive these in the order A, B and half to receive them in the order B, A. A criticism of this design is that effects of the first treatment may carry over into the period when the second is given. (Last, A Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed) Cross-Over Design,Cross-Over Trials,Crossover Design,Crossover Studies,Crossover Trials,Cross Over Design,Cross Over Studies,Cross Over Trials,Cross-Over Designs,Cross-Over Study,Crossover Designs,Crossover Study,Design, Cross-Over,Design, Crossover,Designs, Cross-Over,Designs, Crossover,Studies, Cross-Over,Studies, Crossover,Study, Cross-Over,Study, Crossover,Trial, Cross-Over,Trial, Crossover,Trials, Cross-Over,Trials, Crossover
D018927 Anti-Asthmatic Agents Drugs that are used to treat asthma. Anti-Asthmatic,Anti-Asthmatic Agent,Anti-Asthmatic Drug,Antiasthmatic,Antiasthmatic Agent,Antiasthmatic Drug,Anti-Asthmatic Drugs,Anti-Asthmatics,Antiasthmatic Agents,Antiasthmatic Drugs,Antiasthmatics,Agent, Anti-Asthmatic,Agent, Antiasthmatic,Agents, Anti-Asthmatic,Agents, Antiasthmatic,Anti Asthmatic,Anti Asthmatic Agent,Anti Asthmatic Agents,Anti Asthmatic Drug,Anti Asthmatic Drugs,Anti Asthmatics,Drug, Anti-Asthmatic,Drug, Antiasthmatic,Drugs, Anti-Asthmatic,Drugs, Antiasthmatic

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