Abstract
Purpose
Vitamin D levels are known to be associated with development of allergic diseases. However, existing data are controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate whether vitamin D levels are associated with food sensitization (FS) in young children with atopic dermatitis (AD).
Methods
We performed a medical record review of all patients under 2 years presenting to pediatric allergic clinic in Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital for atopic dermatitis between March 1, 2012 and February 28, 2013. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)levels and six specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) to common food allergens were measured in 132 young children with AD. We defined vitamin D insufficiency was 25(OH)D <30 ng/mL, and FS as specific IgE ≥0.35 IU/mL to any of six common food allergens. Associations between serum 25(OH)D levels and FS were examined by using multiple logistic regression, adjusting for potential risk and confounding factors.
Results
The mean age was 10.1 months. Among the 132 children with AD, 65.9% had FS. In this group, there was a negative correlation between 25(OH)D levels and serum eosinophil percentage (correlation coefficient [r]=-0.335, P<0.01), but not correlated with serum total IgE levels. Children with vitamin D insufficiency were more likely to have FS (adjusted odds ratio, 17.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.36 to 215; P=0.028) than those with adequate vitamin D levels.
Figures and Tables
References
1. Hong SJ, Ahn KM, Lee SY, Kim KE. The prevalences of asthma and allergic diseases in Korean children. Korean J Pediatr. 2008; 51:343–350.


2. Branum AM, Lukacs SL. Food allergy among U.S. children: trends in prevalence and hospitalizations. NCHS Data Brief. 2008; (10):1–8.
3. Camargo CA Jr, Clark S, Kaplan MS, Lieberman P, Wood RA. Regional differences in EpiPen prescriptions in the United States the potential role of vitamin D. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007; 120:131–136.


4. Vassallo MF, Banerji A, Rudders SA, Clark S, Camargo CA Jr. Season of birth and food-induced anaphylaxis in Boston. Allergy. 2010; 65:1492–1493.


5. Sharief S, Jariwala S, Kumar J, Muntner P, Melamed ML. Vitamin D levels and food and environmental allergies in the United States: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2006. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011; 127:1195–1202.


6. Allen KJ, Koplin JJ, Ponsonby AL, Gurrin LC, Wake M, Vuillermin P, et al. Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with challenge-proven food allergy in infants. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2013; 131:1109–1116. 1116.e1–1116.e6.


7. Sidbury R, Sullivan AF, Thadhani RI, Camargo CA Jr. Randomized controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation for winter-related atopic dermatitis in Boston: a pilot study. Br J Dermatol. 2008; 159:245–247.


8. Peroni DG, Piacentini GL, Cametti E, Chinellato I, Boner AL. Correlation between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and severity of atopic dermatitis in children. Br J Dermatol. 2011; 164:1078–1082.


9. Solé D, Wandalsen GF, Camelo-Nunes IC, Naspitz CK;. Prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and atopic eczema among Brazilian children and adolescents identified by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) - Phase 3. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2006; 82:341–346.


10. Dimeloe S, Nanzer A, Ryanna K, Hawrylowicz C. Regulatory T cells, inflammation and the allergic response-The role of glucocorticoids and Vitamin D. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2010; 120:86–95.


11. Hewison M. Vitamin D and the intracrinology of innate immunity. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2010; 321:103–111.


12. Mora JR, Iwata M, von Andrian UH. Vitamin effects on the immune system: vitamins A and D take centre stage. Nat Rev Immunol. 2008; 8:685–698.


13. Adorini L, Penna G, Giarratana N, Uskokovic M. Tolerogenic dendritic cells induced by vitamin D receptor ligands enhance regulatory T cells inhibiting allograft rejection and autoimmune diseases. J Cell Biochem. 2003; 88:227–233.


14. Kong J, Zhang Z, Musch MW, Ning G, Sun J, Hart J, et al. Novel role of the vitamin D receptor in maintaining the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2008; 294:G208–G216.


15. Holick MF. Vitamin D: evolutionary, physiological and health perspectives. Curr Drug Targets. 2011; 12:4–18.


16. Aalberse RC, Nieuwenhuys EJ, Hey M, Stapel SO. 'Horoscope effect' not only for seasonal but also for non-seasonal allergens. Clin Exp Allergy. 1992; 22:1003–1006.


17. Pyrhönen K, Laara E, Hiltunen L, Kaila M, Hugg T, Nayha S. Season of the first trimester of pregnancy predicts sensitisation to food allergens in childhood: a population-based cohort study from Finland. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2012; 66:49–56.


18. Vassallo MF, Banerji A, Rudders SA, Clark S, Mullins RJ, Camargo CA Jr. Season of birth and food allergy in children. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2010; 104:307–313.


19. Mullins RJ, Clark S, Katelaris C, Smith V, Solley G, Camargo CA Jr. Season of birth and childhood food allergy in Australia. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2011; 22:583–589.


20. Nwaru BI, Ahonen S, Kaila M, Erkkola M, Haapala AM, Kronberg-Kippila C, et al. Maternal diet during pregnancy and allergic sensitization in the offspring by 5 yrs of age: a prospective cohort study. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2010; 21(1 Pt 1):29–37.


21. Brehm JM, Celedon JC, Soto-Quiros ME, Avila L, Hunninghake GM, Forno E, et al. Serum vitamin D levels and markers of severity of childhood asthma in Costa Rica. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2009; 179:765–771.


22. Kägi MK, Joller-Jemelka H, Wuthrich B. Correlation of eosinophils, eosinophil cationic protein and soluble interleukin-2 receptor with the clinical activity of atopic dermatitis. Dermatology. 1992; 185:88–92.


23. Széles L, Keresztes G, Torocsik D, Balajthy Z, Krenacs L, Poliska S, et al. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 is an autonomous regulator of the transcriptional changes leading to a tolerogenic dendritic cell phenotype. J Immunol. 2009; 182:2074–2083.


24. von Essen MR, Kongsbak M, Schjerling P, Olgaard K, Odum N, Geisler C. Vitamin D controls T cell antigen receptor signaling and activation of human T cells. Nat Immunol. 2010; 11:344–349.


25. Wang TT, Dabbas B, Laperriere D, Bitton AJ, Soualhine H, Tavera-Mendoza LE, et al. Direct and indirect induction by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 of the NOD2/CARD15-defensin beta2 innate immune pathway defective in Crohn disease. J Biol Chem. 2010; 285:2227–2231.


27. Vassallo MF, Camargo CA Jr. Potential mechanisms for the hypothesized link between sunshine, vitamin D, and food allergy in children. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010; 126:217–222.


28. Liu X, Wang G, Hong X, Wang D, Tsai HJ, Zhang S, et al. Gene-vitamin D interactions on food sensitization: a prospective birth cohort study. Allergy. 2011; 66:1442–1448.


29. Holick MF, Garabedian M, Vitamin D. Vitamin D: photobiology, metabolism, mechanism of action, and clinical application. In : Favus MJ, editor. Primer on the metabolic bone disease and disorders of mineral metabolism. 6th ed. Washington, DC: American Society for Bone and Mineral Research;2006. p. 129–137.
30. Hyppönen E, Berry DJ, Wjst M, Power C. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and IgE - a significant but nonlinear relationship. Allergy. 2009; 64:613–620.


31. Wjst M. Introduction of oral vitamin D supplementation and the rise of the allergy pandemic. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2009; 5:8.


32. Gale CR, Robinson SM, Harvey NC, Javaid MK, Jiang B, Martyn CN, et al. Maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy and child outcomes. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2008; 62:68–77.


33. Weisse K, Winkler S, Hirche F, Herberth G, Hinz D, Bauer M, et al. Maternal and newborn vitamin D status and its impact on food allergy development in the German LINA cohort study. Allergy. 2013; 68:220–228.


34. Hyppönen E, Sovio U, Wjst M, Patel S, Pekkanen J, Hartikainen AL, et al. Infant vitamin d supplementation and allergic conditions in adulthood: northern Finland birth cohort 1966. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004; 1037:84–95.


35. Kull I, Bergstrom A, Melen E, Lilja G, van Hage M, Pershagen G, et al. Early-life supplementation of vitamins A and D, in water-soluble form or in peanut oil, and allergic diseases during childhood. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006; 118:1299–1304.


36. de Montis G, Truong M, Toussaint B, Berman D, Toudoire C. Peanut sensitization and oily solution vitamin preparations. Arch Pediatr. 1995; 2:25–28.