High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among inner-city African American youth with asthma in Washington, DC.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to examine the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency among urban African-American (AA) youth with asthma compared with control subjects without asthma.


METHODS
A cross-sectional case-control study was conducted at an urban pediatric medical center. Total 25-hydroxyvitamin D insufficiency (<30 ng/mL) and deficiency (<20 ng/mL) were assessed in urban self-reported AA patients, aged 6 to 20 years, with (n = 92) and without (n = 21) physician-diagnosed asthma.


RESULTS
Blood samples were available for 85 (92%) cases. The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency were significantly greater among cases than control subjects (73/85 [86%] vs 4/21 [19%], adjusted odds ratio = 42 [95% confidence interval: 4.4 to 399] for insufficiency and 46/85 [54%] vs 1/21 [5%], adjusted odds ratio = 20 [95% confidence interval: 1.4 to 272] for deficiency).


CONCLUSIONS
Most of this sample of urban AA youth with persistent asthma were vitamin D deficient or insufficient. Given the emerging associations between low vitamin D levels and asthma, strong consideration should be given to routine vitamin D testing in urban AA youth, particularly those with asthma.
Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC; Department of Integrative Systems Biology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC. Electronic address: rfreishtat@cnmcresearch.org.
Robert J
RJ
Freishtat
Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC; Department of Integrative Systems Biology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC.
Sabah F
SF
Iqbal
Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC; Department of Integrative Systems Biology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC.
Dinesh K
DK
Pillai
Center for Clinical and Community Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC.
Catherine J
CJ
Klein
Center for Clinical and Community Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC.
Leticia M
LM
Ryan
Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC.
Angela S
AS
Benton
Center for Clinical and Community Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC; Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC.
Stephen J
SJ
Teach
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004219:District of Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons; D014505:Urban Population; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult