Comparison of Serum Vitamin D Levels Between Asthmatics and Healthy Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study

Serum Vitamin D in Asthmatics

Abstract

Background & Objective: Serum vitamin D3 plays a pivotal function not solely in managing mineral homeostasis but also in modulating allergic reactions, cancer and autoimmune diseases. It manages over 200 genes, thus governing cell replication, apoptosis and differentiation. Deficiency of Vitamin D3 in asthmatics is significantly correlated with increased airway sensitivity, impaired pulmonary functions, reduced management of asthma and insensitivity to corticosteroids. This research aimed to determine and compare serum levels of vitamin D3, counts of inflammatory cell, and lung function indices between asthmatics and healthy subjects in Lahore.

Methods: This was an observational and cross-sectional study executed at the University of Health Sciences, Lahore, over a 1-year span, involving 60 asthmatic patients as sample and 30 healthy controls. Following a desired clinical assessment, pulmonary function evaluation was conducted using a spirometer, and blood samples were collected for the analysis of inflammatory cell counts and serum levels of vitamin D3. All data were inputted and examined utilizing SPSS version 22. The Kruskal-Wallis test was employed to compare differences in group medians. For Pairwise comparison of groups Mann Whitney U test was applied. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: The serum vitamin D3 levels were significantly lower among asthmatics compared to controls. Additionally, all participants, including normal controls, exhibited severe vitamin D3 deficiency. Moreover, asthmatic subjects showed a significant decrease in lung function parameters.

Conclusion: The vitamin D3 levels were significantly lower in asthmatics compared to the controls.