FREQUENCY OF LOW VITAMIN D LEVELS IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE EXACERBATION OF ASTHMA

Background: Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory diseases in children and adolescents, and is associated with inflammation and hyper-responsiveness of the airways. Multiple studies have suggested a potential link between lower levels of vitamin D and increased severity & frequency of asthma exacerbations. Objective: To find out the incidence of low vitamin D in children with signs of acute exacerbation. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Pediatrics department of PAEC General Hospital, Islamabad from January, 2023 to March, 2024. 94 pediatric patients aged 5 – 16 years, with clinical diagnosis of asthma according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines, and admission with an acute exacerbation of asthma were included into the study. Blood samples were taken for serum vitamin D levels and levels <20ng/ml was considered vitamin D deficiency. Results: Mean age was 10.5 ± 3.2 years. Male and female patients were 58.5% and 41.5%, respectively. The hospitalization rate was slightly higher (60.3%) but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.18). Mean 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in patients with severe asthma (12.7 ± 3.5 ng/mL). Vitamin D deficient patients were 58 (61.7%) and insufficient were 25 (26.6%). Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the importance of vitamin D in pediatric asthma severity and clinical outcomes in children, and role of vitamin D supplementation for prevention of acute episodes.