• Tsung-Chieh Yao, Yu-Ling Tu, Su-Wei Chang, Hui-Ju Tsai, Po-Wen Gu, Hsian-Chen Ning, Man-Chin Hua, Sui-Ling Liao, Ming-Han Tsai, Chih-Yung Chiu, Shen-Hao Lai, Kuo-Wei Yeh, Jing-Long Huang, and PATCH study group.
• Division of Allergy, Asthma, and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Community Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung, Keelung, Taiwan.
• Plos One. 2014 Jan 1; 9 (6): e99105.

BackgroundNew evidence shows high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in many countries and some studies suggest a possible link between vitamin D status and allergic diseases. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of suboptimal vitamin D status in a population sample of Asian children and to investigate the relationship of vitamin D status with allergic diseases and atopy.MethodsChildren aged 5-18 years (N = 1315) in the Prediction of Allergies in Taiwanese CHildren (PATCH) study were evaluated using questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and total and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE).ResultsThe mean concentration of serum 25(OH)D was 20.4 ng/mL (SD: 7.1 ng/mL). Vitamin D deficiency (defined as serum 25(OH)D<20 ng/mL) was present in 670 subjects (51.0%), while vitamin D insufficiency (defined as serum 25(OH)D<30 ng/mL) was observed in 1187 subjects (90.3%). Older age (P<0.001), female gender (P<0.001), higher body mass index (P = 0.001), winter and spring seasons (compared to summer; P both<0.001), and passive smoking (P = 0.011) were independently associated with low serum 25(OH)D levels. After adjusting for potential confounders, serum 25(OH)D status had no association with asthma, rhinitis, eczema, atopy, or total serum IgE (all P>0.05).ConclusionsLow serum 25(OH)D levels are remarkably common in this population sample of Asian children, suggesting that millions of children living in Taiwan may have suboptimal levels of vitamin D, which should be a matter of public health concern. Our results provides epidemiological evidence against the association of vitamin D status with various allergic diseases and atopy in Asian children.

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