Takeaway
- Prenatal vitamin D supplementation (4400 vs 400 IU per day) is not linked to reduced risk for asthma and recurrent wheeze in children by age 6 years.
- The findings contrast with results suggestive of benefit at age 3 years.
Why this matters
- Findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation should not be given for child asthma prevention during the prenatal period.
Study design
- A randomized controlled trial of 881 women enrolled in the VDAART trial who were given either 4400 IU per day (the vitamin D group) or 400 IU per day (the control group).
- Primary outcomes were asthma or recurrent wheeze in children.
- Funding: NIH.
Key results
- Groups did not differ in the percentage of children at age 6 years with asthma or recurrent wheeze (interval-censored control vs vitamin D group: HR, 1.12; P=.25).
- They also did not differ in these secondary outcomes:
- Active asthma.
- Recurrent wheeze without asthma diagnosis.
- Late-onset wheeze.
- Eczema with typical rash.
- Allergic rhinitis.
- Lower respiratory tract infection.
- Total log IgE level.
- Any allergic sensitization.
- Percentage of 13 specific IgE tests with positive results.
- Vitamin D was linked to a minimal benefit for airway resistance as measured by impulse oscillometry, but no benefit for spirometry values.
Limitations
- No postnatal supplementation.
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