Table 2.
Comparison among patients with and without vitamin D deficiency at the beginning of 12 month supplementation period.
| Group 1 25-OHD > 20 ng/mL |
Group 2 25-OHD < 20 ng/mL 24 Discontinued, 11 Non-adherent |
Group 3 25-OHD < 20 ng/mL Adherent to Vitamin D Supplement |
p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 29 | 35 | 55 | |
| Age (years) | 44 (38–50) c | 50 (45–56) c | 57 (54–61) | 0.001 |
| Men n (%) | 6 (21) | 7 (20) | 12 (22) | 0.97 |
| BMI (Kg/m2) mean (95% CI) | 24 (22–25) | 24 (22–26) | 25 (24–26) | 0.29 |
| Smokers n (%) | 4 (14) | 1 (3) | 9 (16) | 0.14 |
| GINA | ||||
| 1. Intermittent n (%) | 5 (17) | 4 (11) | 2 (4) | |
| 2. Mild persistent n (%) | 14 (48) | 13 (37) | 9 (16) | 0.002 |
| 3. Moderate persistent n (%) | 8 (28) | 10 (29) | 23 (42) | |
| 4. Severe persistent n (%) | 2 (7) | 8 (23) | 21 (38) | |
| VC% pred. mean (95% CI) | 94 (87–101) c | 87 (83–91) c | 80 (77–84) | <0.001 |
| FEV1% pred. mean (95% CI) | 88 (81–96) c | 82 (75–89) c | 70 (65–75) | <0.001 |
| FEV1/VC% mean (95% CI) | 71 (67–75) c | 70 (65–75) c | 63 (59–66) | 0.007 |
| FENO ppb mean (95% CI) | 47 (22–72) | 40 (36–52) | 45 (20–60) | 0.83 |
| Exacerbations n mean (95% CI) | 1 (0.6–1.5) | 2.2 (1.7–2.6) a | 2.6 (2.2–2.9) a,b | <0.001 |
| Eosinophils 106/L mean (95% CI) | 320 (190–460) | 330 (220–440) | 380 (290–470) | 0.66 |
| Vitamin D, ng/mL mean (95% CI) | 26.6 (25–29) b,c | 13.6 (12–15) a | 13.0 (12–14) a | <0.001 |
| Atopy n (%) | 22 (76) | 21 (60) | 40 (73) | 0.31 |
| Rhinitis n (%) | 22 (76) | 25 (71) | 42 (76) | 0.86 |
| Rhinosinusitis n (%) | 8 (28) | 17 (49) | 32 (58) | 0.03 |
| Hypertension n (%) | 11 (38) | 13 (37) | 37 (67) | 0.005 |
| Heart disease n (%) | 10 (37) | 10 (29) | 25 (46) | 0.25 |
| Depression n (%) | 7 (26) | 12 (35) | 9 (16) | 0.15 |
| Thyroid disease n (%) | 8 (30) | 5 (15) | 16 (29) | 0.25 |
| OSA n (%) | 3 (11) | 1 (3) | 4 (7) | 0.51 |
| COPD n (%) | 7 (26) | 6 (18) | 8 (14) | 0.55 |
| Osteoporosis n (%) | 4 (15) | 7 (21) | 26 (47) | 0.002 |
| GERD n (%) | 8 (30) | 9 (27) | 22 (42) | 0.29 |
| ICS + LABA n (%) | 24 (83) | 32 (91) | 55 (100) | 0.009 |
| LAMA n (%) | 6 (21) | 5 (14) | 18 (33) | 0.12 |
| LTRA n (%) | 4 (14) | 7 (20) | 28 (51) | <0.001 |
| Oral corticosteroid n (%) (*) | 7 (25) | 13 (37) | 35 (64) | 0.001 |
| ICS: No n (%) | 5 (17) | 3 (9) | 0 (0) | 0.04 |
| Low n (%) | 7 (24) | 9 (26) | 4 (7) | |
| Medium n (%) | 6 (21) | 8 (23) | 16 (29) | |
| High n (%) | 11 (38) | 15 (27) | 35 (64) |
Group 1: patients with 25-OHD ≥ 20 ng/mL; Group 2: patients with 25-OHD < 20 ng/mL who discontinued the study or were non-adherent to vitamin D supplementation; Group 3: patients with 25-OHD < 20 ng/mL adherent to vitamin D supplementation; a = significantly different from group 1; b = significantly different from group 2; c = significantly different from group 3; (*) number of patients who needed one or more oral corticosteroid course per year. Abbreviations: BMI = Body Mass Index; VC = Vital Capacity; FEV1 = Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second; FENO = Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide; GINA = Global INItiative for Asthma; ICS = Inhaled Cortico Steroid; LABA = Long Acting Beta Agonist; LAMA = Long Acting anti Muscarinic Agent; LTRA = LeukoTriene Receptors Antagonist.