Vitamin D, Factors Asthma Prevention

Asthma is a chronic disease that tends to increase rapidly, especially in children, due to changes in lifestyle. In the UK, the prevalence of asthma increased as geometric progression, respectively in 1973 (5.5%), 1988 (12%), and 1993 (27.3%). In 2007, the United States, approximately 9.1% or 6.7 million children are reported to suffer from asthma with 2.3 deaths per one million children. This increase has a negative impact on patient activity and costs borne by the family routine.

Asthma is basically a syndrome with specific symptoms of wheezing (wheezing), episodic or chronic cough. Asthma attacks tend to occur at night or early morning, is seasonal and reversible spontaneously or with treatment. In addition, the known trigger factors, including physical activity as well as the interaction of the double movement of genetic and environmental factors. This editorial we wrote with reference to the article submission colleague Gina Amanda freshener that we fit on Medika No. 10, Year to XXXVII, October 2011.

One of the important risk factors for asthma is a deficiency of vitamin D that serves as an immunomodulator. Vitamin D levels appear inversely related to total IgE levels and eosinophil count. High intake of vitamin D in pregnant women can reduce the risk of recurrent wheezing in early childhood babies born. Criteria for vitamin D deficiency is a level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 [OH] D) is lower than 20 ng / ml (50 nmol / L). In Costa Rica, approximately 28% of children with asthma have a level of 25 (OH) D less than 30 ng / ml. In the United States, in 2001-2004, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was reported 9%. In addition, approximately 12.1% of infants and toddlers healthy in Boston suffering from vitamin D deficiency as well as high-risk asthma. Infants with wheezing and respiratory viral infections higher risk of asthma. Viral infections may affect the prevalence of asthma through which vitamin D induces cathelicidin polypeptide formation and serves as an antibacterial and antiviral in macrophages. Individuals with higher levels of 25 (OH) D levels are at higher risk of upper respiratory tract infections. In adults, vitamin D supplements shown to reduce symptoms of influenza. However, the role of vitamin D to prevent asthma through reduced risk of respiratory infections, need further study.