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. 2014 Jun 12;9(6):e99856.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099856. eCollection 2014.

Cord blood 25(OH)-vitamin D deficiency and childhood asthma, allergy and eczema: the COPSAC2000 birth cohort study

Bo L Chawes  1 , Klaus Bønnelykke  1 , Pia F Jensen  1 , Ann-Marie M Schoos  1 , Lene Heickendorff  2 , Hans Bisgaard  1
Affiliations

Cord blood 25(OH)-vitamin D deficiency and childhood asthma, allergy and eczema: the COPSAC2000 birth cohort study

Bo L Chawes et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Epidemiological studies have suggested an association between maternal vitamin D dietary intake during pregnancy and risk of asthma and allergy in the offspring. However, prospective clinical studies on vitamin D measured in cord blood and development of clinical end-points are sparse.

Objective: To investigate the interdependence of cord blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)-Vitamin D) level and investigator-diagnosed asthma- and allergy-related conditions during preschool-age.

Methods: Cord blood 25(OH)-Vitamin D level was measured in 257 children from the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC2000) at-risk mother-child cohort. Troublesome lung symptoms (TROLS), asthma, respiratory infections, allergic rhinitis, and eczema, at age 0-7 yrs were diagnosed exclusively by the COPSAC pediatricians strictly adhering to predefined algorithms. Objective assessments of lung function and sensitization were performed repeatedly from birth.

Results: After adjusting for season of birth, deficient cord blood 25(OH)-Vitamin D level (<50 nmol/L) was associated with a 2.7-fold increased risk of recurrent TROLS (HR = 2.65; 95% CI = 1.02-6.86), but showed no association with respiratory infections or asthma. We saw no association between cord blood 25(OH)-Vitamin D level and lung function, sensitization, rhinitis or eczema. The effects were unaffected from adjusting for multiple lifestyle factors.

Conclusion: Cord blood 25(OH)-Vitamin D deficiency associated with increased risk of recurrent TROLS till age 7 years. Randomized controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy are needed to prove causality.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Kaplan Meier survival curve showing the risk of developing recurrent troublesome lung symptoms (TROLS) at age 0–7 yrs stratified by cord blood 25(OH)-Vitamin D level.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Kaplan Meier survival curve showing the risk of developing lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) at age 0–3 yrs stratified by cord blood 25(OH)-Vitamin D level.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Kaplan Meier survival curve showing the risk of developing eczema at age 0–7 yrs stratified by cord blood 25(OH)-Vitamin D level.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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