title: The effects of vitamin D supplementation on airway functions in mild to moderate persistent asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D is hypothesized to have some roles in innate and adaptive immunity, inflammation reduction, and remodeling; therefore, it is supposed to affect the asthma phenotype, severity, and response to inhaled corticosteroid (ICS).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the synergistic effects of vitamin D supplementation in addition to asthma controllers (ICS or ICS plus long-acting β-agonist) on airway functions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized clinical trial was conducted in 130 individuals aged 10 to 50 years who lived in Tehran during a 24-week period. Data on age, sex, body mass index, stage of asthma, serum total IgE, history of allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergy, and urticaria were collected. Spirometric parameters (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1] and ratio of FEV1 to forced vital capacity) and serum vitamin D measurement were obtained before and 8 and 24 weeks after the intervention. Patients were divided in 2 groups randomly. Both groups received asthma controllers (budesonide or budesonide plus formoterol) according to their stage, but the intervention group received vitamin D supplementation (100,000-U bolus intramuscularly plus 50,000 U orally weekly) in addition to asthma controllers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FEV1 improved significantly in both groups after 8 weeks, but no significant difference was found between the 2 groups at baseline (P = .20) or after 8 weeks (P = .99); however, a significant improvement was seen in the intervention group in the last 16 weeks, and FEV1 was significantly better in the intervention group than the other group after 24 weeks (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D supplementation associated with asthma controllers could significantly improve FEV1 in mild to moderate persistent asthma after 24 weeks.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  irct.ir Identifier: IRCT201302079608N1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Rasool e Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Saba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Rasool e Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: fallahpour.morteza@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fallahpour
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Rasool e Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nabavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Rasool e Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hasan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bemanian
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Iran University of Medical Sciences and Minimally Invasive Surgery Research Center, Tehran, Iran; Department of Pulmonology, Rasool e Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Javad-Mousavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Marzieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nojomi
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Rasool e Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Esmaeilzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Rasool e Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Rasool
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Molatefi
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Rasool e Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahsa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rekabi
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Rasool e Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jalali
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Rasool e Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nadieh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akbarpour
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019819:Budesonide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000150:complications; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000150:complications; D014581:Urticaria / Q000150:complications; D014797:Vital Capacity; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D004983:Ethanolamines; D014807:Vitamin D; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D019819:Budesonide; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate