Correlation between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and severity of atopic dermatitis in children

Purpose: Vitamin D deficiency has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. In addition, inverse correlationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and severity of atopic dermatitis has been suggested. Methods: Clinical and laboratory parameters including serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and serum total IgE of 251 patients with atopic dermatitis who were 13 months to 18 years were measured. Severity of atopic dermatitis was assessed with SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson correlation coefficient, one-way analysis of variance test and chi-square test. Results: Among 251 patients, vitamin D deficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D<20 ng/mL, group 1) was present in 76 subjects (30.3%), vitamin D insufficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D 20-29 ng/mL, group 2) was present in 101 (40.2%), and vitamin D sufficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D=30 ng/mL, group 3) was present in 74 (29.5%). There was a statistically significant inverse correlation between serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and values of SCORAD index (R=-0.24, P<0.000). Serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were inversely correlated with total IgE (R=-0.29, P<0.000),and age (R=-0.49, P<0.000). Conclusion: The results from this study indicate that serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D is inversely correlated with clinical severity of atopic dermatitis in children.