title: Vitamin d levels in children with bronchial asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bronchial Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in childhood. Vitamin-D, required for bone mineralization, is also a potent immune system regulator having a potential role in various allergic diseases. This study was undertaken to determine the difference in serum levels of Vitamin-D in asthmatic children and to determine the association between vitamin-D and asthma in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study included 88 (44 asthmatic children and 44 healthy controls) children aged between 5 and 13 y. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin-D levels were determined and compared between the two groups. The association between vitamin-D levels and lung function was studied in the asthmatic children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum vitamin-D level was significantly lower in asthmatic children than in control group and in the asthmatic group, vitamin-D levels had a significant positive correlation with FEV1% and FEV1/FVC%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin-D deficiency is highly prevalent in asthmatic children and is associated with airway limitation.
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Paediatrics, M S Ramaiah Medical College and Hospitals , Bangalore, India .
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Somashekar
authors.affiliation: Intern, Department of Paediatrics, M S Ramaiah Medical College and Hospitals , Bangalore, India .
authors.forename: Ashwini B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Prithvi
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, M S Ramaiah Medical College and Hospitals , Bangalore, India .
authors.forename: M N Vanitha
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Gowda
keywords: Airway limitation; Asthma; Children; Lung function; Vitamin-D