PURPOSE: Vitamin D is a potent immunomodulator. However, its role in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis is unclear. METHODS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiallergic effect of intranasally applied vitamin D in an allergic rhinitis mouse model. BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and alum before they were intranasally challenged with OVA. Then, they were intranasally administered 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (0.02 μg) or solvent. Allergic symptom scores, eosinophil infiltration, cytokine mRNA levels (interleukin [IL]-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13 and interferon-γ) in the nasal tissue, and serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and OVA-specific IgE, IgG1, and IgG2a were analyzed and compared with negative and positive control groups. Cervical lymph nodes (LNs) were harvested for flow cytometry analysis and cell proliferation assay. RESULTS: In the treatment group, allergic symptom scores, eosinophil infiltration, and mRNA levels of IL-4 and IL-13 were significantly lower in the nasal tissue than in the positive control group. The IL-5 mRNA level, serum total IgE, and OVA-specific IgE and IgG1 levels decreased in the treatment group; however, the difference was not significant. In the cervical LNs, CD86 expression had been down-regulated in CD11c+major histocompatibility complex II-high (MHCIIhigh) in the treatment group. Additionally, IL-4 secretion in the lymphocyte culture from cervical LNs significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm the antiallergic effect of intranasal 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. It decreases CD 86 expression among CD11c+MHCIIhigh cells and T-helper type 2-mediated inflammation in the cervical LNs. Therefore, topically applied 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 can be a future therapeutic agent for allergic rhinitis.
Administration, Intranasal ; Animals ; Anti-Allergic Agents ; Calcitriol ; Cell Proliferation ; Dendritic Cells ; Eosinophils ; Flow Cytometry ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulins ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-13 ; Interleukin-4 ; Interleukin-5 ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphocytes ; Major Histocompatibility Complex ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Ovalbumin ; Ovum ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; RNA, Messenger ; Vitamin D

Anticonvulsants ; adverse effects ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Calcium, Dietary ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Valproic Acid ; adverse effects ; Vitamin D ; administration & dosage

Adolescent ; Anticonvulsants ; adverse effects ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Calcium ; blood ; Calcium, Dietary ; administration & dosage ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dietary Supplements ; Epilepsy ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Valproic Acid ; adverse effects ; Vitamin D ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo investigate vitamin D level at birth and possible influencing factors in preterm infants.

METHODSA total of 600 preterm infants were enrolled, and venous blood samples were collected within 24 hours after birth to measure the serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. The effect of sex, birth weight, birth season, gestational age, mother's age, body mass index (BMI) in early pregnancy, delivery mode, and complications during pregnancy on serum 25(OH)D level was analyzed.

RESULTSThe rates of vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency were 42.0%, 38.7%, and 19.3% respectively. The preterm infants born in summer and autumn had a significantly higher serum 25(OH)D level than those born in winter (P<0.05) and a significantly lower incidence rate of vitamin D deficiency than those born in spring and winter (P<0.003). Compared with those whose mothers were aged <30 years, the infants whose mothers were aged ≥30 years had a significantly higher serum 25(OH)D level (P<0.05) and a significantly lower incidence rate of vitamin D deficiency (P<0.017). Compared with those whose mothers were overweight or had normal body weight, the infants whose mothers were obese had a significantly lower serum 25(OH)D level (P<0.05) and a significantly higher incidence rate of vitamin D deficiency (P<0.006). Compared with those whose mothers had no preeclampsia, the infants whose mothers had preeclampsia during pregnancy had a significantly lower serum 25(OH)D level (P<0.05) and a significantly higher incidence rate of vitamin D deficiency (P<0.017). The multivariate analysis showed that birth in winter and spring, mother's age <30 years, and early-pregnancy BMI ≥28 kg/mwere risk factors for vitamin D deficiency (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere is a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in preterm infants. Vitamin D supplementation should be given to the preterm infants with high-risk factors for vitamin D deficiency.

Dietary Supplements ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; blood ; Infant, Premature ; blood ; Male ; Seasons ; Vitamin D ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; epidemiology ; etiology

An adequate supply of vitamin D is considered necessary for osteoporosis management and fracture prevention. Intermittent high-dose vitamin D supplementation is an effective and convenient way to achieve and maintain sufficient vitamin D status. However, the long-term effectiveness of supplementation for preventing falls and fractures is unclear, and some deleterious effects of such treatments have been reported. Concerning these issues, the Korean Society for Bone and Mineral Research task force team reviewed previous clinical trials and provided the following perspectives based on current evidence: 1) An adequate supply of vitamin D is necessary for preventing falls and fractures in postmenopausal women and men older than 50 years. An oral intake of 800 to 1,000 IU/day of vitamin D is generally recommended. 2) Care should be taken concerning the routine use of intermittent high-dose vitamin D, as large-scale clinical trials showed increased risk of falls or fractures after high-dose vitamin D administration. Intermittent high-dose vitamin D supplementation is recommendable only in cases of malabsorption or when oral administration is not suitable. 3) Monitoring of the serum level of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25[OH]D) is advisable, especially when intermittent high-dose vitamin D is used for supplementation. The task force team suggests that a serum 25(OH)D level of >20 ng/mL is generally appropriate for the prevention of osteoporosis, and that a serum 25(OH)D level of >30 ng/mL is probably helpful both for the management of osteoporosis and the prevention of fractures and falls. However, serum 25(OH)D level >50 ng/mL (this value can vary depending on the measurement method used) is unnecessary and may be undesirable. These perspectives are relevant for the management of osteoporosis, falls, or fractures. Other metabolic bone diseases or non-skeletal disorders are not within the scope of these perspectives.
Accidental Falls ; Administration, Oral ; Advisory Committees* ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methods ; Miners* ; Osteoporosis ; Vitamin D* ; Vitamins*

The etiology and pathogenic mechanism of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are still unclear. The relationship between vitamin D and ASD has drawn attention in recent years due to common vitamin D deficiency in children with ASD. This article reviews the peripheral blood levels of vitamin D in children with ASD, the possible reasons for hypovitamin D and its possible roles in the etiology of ASD and the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in ASD.
Animals ; Autism Spectrum Disorder ; blood ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Vitamin D ; administration & dosage ; blood ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; blood ; drug therapy

PURPOSE: Although interest in the role played by vitamin D in bone health is increasing, little is known about the role of this vitamin in musculoskeletal pain in children. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in children presenting with nonspecific lower extremity pains. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2011 to 2012, 183 children underwent evaluation for nonspecific lower-extremity pains. Patients with valid causes, such as fractures or transient synovitis, were excluded, as were those with underlying medical conditions, such as cerebral palsy and metabolic disease. Ultimately, 140 patients met the inclusion criteria. Levels of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25-(OH)D], the ideal indicator of vitamin D status, were measured in these children. RESULTS: Eighty-seven boys (62.1%) and 53 girls (37.9%) were included. The mean age at presentation was 5.2 years (range, 2-15). Serum 25-(OH)D levels were <10 ng/mL in 5.7% of patients, 10 to <20 ng/mL in 51.4%, 20 to <30 ng/mL in 37.9%, and > or =30 ng/mL in only 5.0%. Most patients visited the hospital in the winter (41.4%) (summer, 12.9%), and serum 25-(OH)D levels were also lowest in the winter (17.2+/-5.5 ng/mL). CONCLUSION: This study found a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency in Korean children with nonspecific lower-extremity pains, indicating a positive association between vitamin D deficiency and growing pains. More attention should be directed toward vitamin D and its role in the optimization of bone health.
Adolescent ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*statistics & numerical data ; Calcifediol/administration & dosage ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Musculoskeletal Pain/drug therapy/etiology ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons ; Vitamin D/*analogs & derivatives/blood ; Vitamin D Deficiency/blood/complications/*ethnology ; Vitamins/administration & dosage

Serum sclerostin is positively associated with serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D concentration. Our preliminary studies confirmed that Qing'e formula (QEF) could effectively increase serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D concentration in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP), but the effect of supplementation with QEF on serum sclerostin is unknown. This study investigated the effects of supplementation of QEF on serum sclerostin levels in patients with PMOP. Totally 120 outpatients and inpatients with PMOP treated in our hospital between January and October 2012 were randomly divided into QEF+calcium group, alfacalcidol+calcium group, and placebo+calcium group (n=40 each), with a follow-up period of 2 years. The serum levels of sclerostin, 25 hydroxyvitamin D, and bone turnover markers (β-CTX, N-MID and T-PINP) at baseline and at the 6th month, 1st year, 1.5th year, and 2nd year after treatment were measured. The results showed that the levels of circulating sclerostin were increased significantly at the 6th month after treatment in QEF+calcium group and alfacalcidol+calcium group as compared with placebo+calcium group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the former two groups (P>0.05). The levels of β-CTX, N-MID and T-PINP in serum were decreased in both QEF+calcium group and alfacalcidol+calcium group at the 6th month after treatment, without significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). But the levels were significantly lower than that in placebo+calcium group (P<0.05). These results suggest that the mechanism by which QEF modulates bone metabolism in patients with PMOP might be related with the effect of QEF in increasing sclerostin expression. Our findings provide a scientific rationale for using QEF as an effective drug to prevent bone loss in PMOP.
Biomarkers ; blood ; Bone Density Conservation Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Calcium, Dietary ; administration & dosage ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Hydroxycholecalciferols ; administration & dosage ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; blood ; drug therapy ; Proteins ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Vitamin D ; analogs & derivatives ; blood

Vitamin D deficiency is common and may contribute to osteopenia, osteoporosis and falls risk in the elderly. Screening for vitamin D deficiency is important in high-risk patients, especially for patients who suffered minimal trauma fractures. Vitamin D deficiency should be treated according to the severity of the deficiency. In high-risk adults, follow-up serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration should be measured 3-4 months after initiating maintenance therapy to confirm that the target level has been achieved. All patients should maintain a calcium intake of at least 1,000 mg for women aged ≤ 50 years and men ≤ 70 years, and 1,300 mg for women > 50 years and men > 70 years.
Aged ; Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; prevention & control ; Calcium, Dietary ; therapeutic use ; Cholecalciferol ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Hip Fractures ; complications ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis ; prevention & control ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Prevalence ; Primary Health Care ; methods ; Risk Factors ; Vitamin D ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; diagnosis ; epidemiology

Inadequate vitamin D status is highly prevalent in the Korean population, especially among young adults. Nonetheless, correlates of suboptimal vitamin D levels in young adults are not well defined. This study aimed to investigate potentially modifiable determinants of vitamin D levels in young adults in Korea. This cross-sectional study was based on health check-up data from 3,450 healthy male and female university students aged 18-29 yr in Seoul between April and May 2013. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were determined using chemiluminescent immunoassay. Anthropometric data were measured, and lifestyle, dietary, and sociodemographic factors were obtained through self-administered questionnaires. General linear regression was used to assess correlates of serum 25(OH)D levels. The mean serum 25(OH)D level was 11.1 ng/mL, and the prevalence of 25(OH)D levels less than 10 ng/mL was 44.7% (39.5% in men, 50.2% in women). In a final multivariable model, significant positive correlates of serum 25(OH)D were older age, male sex, increased physical activity, sunlight exposure > or = 30 min/day, eating breakfast regularly, consumption of dairy and fatty fish, and use of vitamin D-containing supplements. In contrast, significant inverse correlates were obesity (body mass index, BMI > or = 25 kg/m2) or underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), abdominal obesity, increased sedentary time, and frequent consumption of instant noodles and sugar-sweetened beverages. In conclusion, many modifiable lifestyle and dietary factors were associated with low serum 25(OH)D levels in Korean young adults. Further studies on potential mechanisms of the correlates and optimal strategies to improve vitamin D status in this vulnerable subpopulation are warranted.
Administration, Oral ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Dietary Supplements/*statistics & numerical data ; *Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Life Style ; Male ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Assessment ; Sex Distribution ; Vitamin D/*administration & dosage/*analogs & derivatives/blood ; Vitamin D Deficiency/*blood/*epidemiology/prevention & control ; Young Adult