It is thought that vitamin D deficiency has a role in atopic dermatitis (AD) pathogenesis but the debate whether it is protective or predisposing still continues. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of vitamin D deficiency on AD development, severity and on related parameters.
Methods:
To our study, 50 patients under the age of 2 who were diagnosed with AD according to Hanifin and Rajka criteria together with 50 healthy children were recruited.In addition to the demographic features of the patient and control groups, eosinophil, total IgE, specificIgE, prick test, IgG, IgM, IgA and 25(OH)Dlevels were evaluated. SpecificIgEor prick test positivity was considered asatopy. The level of 25(OH)D≥30 ng/ml was accepted as sufficient, 21-29 ng/ml was accepted as insufficient and ≤20 ng/ml was accepted as deficient. The severity of the disease was assessed using SCORAD index.
Results:
There was no significant difference between the patient and control groups in terms of age, gender, duration or dose of vitamin D usage. The rate of atopy history in mothers was high in the patient group(p<0.001). Among the patients, 56% was atopic and egg-white sensitivity had the highest frequency (36%). SCORAD index was higher in the atopic patients, especially in those with food sensitivity(p=0.048). Vitamin D deficiency was detected as 22% in the patient group, and 4% in the healthy children (p=0.028). No correlation between vitamin D deficiency and the severity or age of onset of the disease was detected (p>0.05). Additional ectopic disease risk, eosinophil number and total IgE levels increased in the patient group as the level of vitamin D decreased. Patients with hypogammaglobulinemia were determined to be non-atopic and have lower SCORAD index comparedto patients with normogammaglobulinemia(p<0,05).
Conclusions:
Vitamin D deficiency was determined to have a role in AD development. Vitamin D was shown to have no effect on the severity of the disease although it represses the increase of total IgE which increases the severity of the disease. The fact that vitamin D deficiency is concurrent with the additional atopic disease in our patients reveals the need for studies that investigate the effects of vitamin D on allergic march.