Search results for "Vitamin D"
showing 10 items of 270 documents
Severe and uncontrolled adult asthma is associated with vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency
2012
Background Vitamin D has effects on the innate and adaptive immune system. In asthmatic children low vitamin D levels are associated with poor asthma control, reduced lung function, increased medication intake, and exacerbations. Little is known about vitamin D in adult asthma patients or its association with asthma severity and control. Methods Clinical parameters of asthma control and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) serum concentrations were evaluated in 280 adult asthma patients (mean ± SD: 45.0 ± 13.8 yrs., 40% male, FEV1 74.9 ± 23.4%, 55% severe, 51% uncontrolled). Results 25(OH)D concentrations in adult asthmatics were low (25.6 ±11.8 ng/ml) and vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency (vi…
Low bone mineral density in HIV-positive young Italians and migrants.
2020
Background Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected individuals may have osteoporosis. We aimed to evaluate the bone mineral density (BMD) in naïve antiretroviral (ARV) treated HIV positive patients comparing native Italian group (ItG) to a Migrants group (MiG) upon arrival in Italy. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study on 83 HIV patients less than 50 years old. We used the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) within six months from the HIV diagnosis. Participants were categorized as having low BMD if the femoral neck or total lumbar spine Z-score was– 2 or less. Results MiG showed low BMD more often than ItG (37.5% vs.13.6%), especially for the female gender (16.7% vs. 0.0%). …
25-Hydroxyvitamin D, IL-31, and IL-33 in Children with Allergic Disease of the Airways
2014
Low vitamin D is involved in allergic asthma and rhinitis. IL-31 and IL-33 correlate with Th2-associated cytokines in allergic disease. We investigated whether low vitamin D is linked with circulating IL-31 and IL-33 in children with allergic disease of the airways. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH) Vit D], IL-31, and IL-33 plasma levels were measured in 28 controls (HC), 11 allergic rhinitis (AR) patients, and 35 allergic asthma with rhinitis (AAR) patients. We found significant lower levels of 25(OH) Vit D in AR and in AAR than in HC. IL-31 and IL-33 plasma levels significantly increased in AAR than HC. IL-31 and IL-33 positively correlated in AR and AAR. 25(OH) Vit D deficient AAR had higher l…
Vitamin D increases the production of IL-10 by regulatory T cells in patients with systemic sclerosis
2019
OBJECTIVES: Vitamin D status influences the risk to develop autoimmune diseases affecting the percentage and/or functions of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Since low levels of 25 (OH) D have been decreased in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), we aimed to study the effect of Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) supplementation on Tregs frequencies and functions. METHODS: Peripheral blood and sera samples were obtained from 45 SSc patients and controls (HC). A number of eighteen SSc patients had consumed Cholecalciferol (orally) at the dose of 25.000 UI/month for 6 months at the time of enrollment. 25(OH)D serum levels were measured and VDR polymorphisms, were genotyped by polymerase chain reactio…
Vitamin D Receptor Activation Reduces Angiotensin-II–Induced Dissecting Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Apolipoprotein E–Knockout Mice
2015
Objective— Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a vascular disorder characterized by chronic inflammation of the aortic wall. Low concentrations of vitamin D 3 are associated with AAA development; however, the potential direct effect of vitamin D 3 on AAA remains unknown. This study evaluates the effect of oral treatment with the vitamin D 3 receptor (VDR) ligand, calcitriol, on dissecting AAA induced by angiotensin-II (Ang-II) infusion in apoE −/− mice. Approach and Results— Oral treatment with calcitriol reduced Ang-II–induced dissecting AAA formation in apoE −/− mice, which was unrelated to systolic blood pressure or plasma cholesterol concentrations. Immunohistochemistry and reverse-tran…
Hypovitaminosis D and fat mass in healthy older people
2016
Prospective studies have suggested that hypovitaminosis D can predict the onset of obesity, but they relied mainly on body mass index, which could be scarcely reliable in older people. We investigated whether baseline hypovitaminosis D could predict higher fat mass (FM) levels using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in a sample of 116 fit and healthy older subjects. Although no significant differences in FM estimates emerged between subjects with and without hypovitaminosis D at the baseline, abdominal FM was found significantly higher in the former group (with hypovitaminosis D at the baseline) than in the latter after 3 years of follow-up. Adjusted logistic regression analysis confirmed th…
Prenatal exposure to residential air pollution and infant mental development: modulation by antioxidants and detoxification factors.
2011
Background: Air pollution effects on children’s neurodevelopment have recently been suggested to occur most likely through the oxidative stress pathway. Objective: We aimed to assess whether prenatal exposure to residential air pollution is associated with impaired infant mental development, and whether antioxidant/detoxification factors modulate this association. Methods: In the Spanish INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA; Environment and Childhood) Project, 2,644 pregnant women were recruited during their first trimester. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and benzene were measured with passive samplers covering the study areas. Land use regression models were developed for each pollutant to predict aver…
Usefulness of Clinical Data and Biomarkers for the Identification of Frailty After Acute Coronary Syndromes
2015
Abstract Background Frailty predicts mortality after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The standard frailty scales, such as the Fried score, consist of a variety of questionnaires and physical tests. Our aim was to investigate easily available clinical data and blood markers to predict frailty at discharge, in elderly patients after ACS. Methods A total of 342 patients older than 65 years, survivors after ACS, were included. A high number of clinical variables were collected. In addition, blood markers potentially linked to frailty and related to the processes of inflammation, coagulation, hormonal dysregulation, nutrition, renal dysfunction, and heart dysfunction were determined. Frailty was …
Vitamin D Deficiency: The Missing Etiological Factor in the Development of Juvenile Osteochondrosis Dissecans?
2016
BACKGROUND Vitamin D deficiency can result in rickets and hypocalcemia during infant and childhood growth. There is an increasing interest in the role of vitamin D with regards to childhood bone health. Osteochondrosis dissecans (OD) is a common disease affecting different joints. To date, the exact etiology of OD still remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate a possible association of vitamin D deficiency and juvenile OD. METHODS A retrospective chart review of the years 2010 to 2015 of all orthopaedic patients with an initial diagnosis of juvenile OD admitted to undergo operative treatment of the OD was performed. Patient demographics, medical history, information on sports …
Vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and bone mass in adolescents.
2005
This article provides a review of the evidence identifying the factors related to vitamin D status in adolescents. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency based on 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] of <25 nmol/L ranges from 0 to 32% depending on the season measured and the latitude of the population assessed. The factors that have been reported to affect serum 25(OH)D in adolescents include ethnicity, gender, puberty stage, parathyroid hormone (PTH), dietary vitamin D intake, and sun exposure. Vitamin D supplementation studies are limited to small populations and with supplementation focused on winter months when sunlight may be inadequate. The effects of vitamin D status and supplementation on …