Effect of vitamin D(3) on mild to moderate persistent asthmatic patients: A randomized controlled pilot study

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the bronchial airways. Well defined treatment options for asthma are very few. The role of vitamin D(3) on asthma is still baffling. Aim: We have examined the effect of vitamin D(3) supplementation in mild to moderate persistent asthma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted an open labeled, randomized comparative trial in 48 asthma patients. The study duration was about 90 days. The study had a run-in-period of 2 weeks. At the end of run-in-period, patients were divided into two groups: Usual care group (n = 31) patients received budesonide and formoterol and intervention care group (n = 32) patients received vitamin D(3) supplementation along with their regular medicine. RESULTS: The primary outcome of the study was to measure the improvement in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)). Patients in both groups had a significant improvement in FEV(1) at the end of the study. The mean difference in percentage predicted FEV(1) in usual care and intervention care group was 4.95 and 7.07 respectively. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that adjunctive therapy of vitamin D(3) is effective in asthma patients. The present study will be an evidence based report; however, future studies are warranted in longer duration of time to substantiate the present findings.