Please select the arm or intervention descriptions that belong to the clinical trial below.
Title: Vitamin D vs. Placebo in the Prevention of Viral-induced Exacerbations in Preschoolers With Asthma: a Pilot RCT
Brief Summary: Viral infections are the main cause of asthma attacks in preschoolers, an age group with the highest rate of emergency visits due to asthma. While high doses of inhaled or oral corticosteroids provide benefits, these have been associated with adverse outcomes. Most asthmatic children have lower blood levels of vitamin D compared to non-asthmatic children. Low vitamin D level has been linked to more frequent and more severe asthma attacks as well as with higher dose requirement of inhaled corticosteroid. Recent studies show that vitamin D supplements can reduce the number of asthma attacks triggered by viral infections in children. Unfortunately, most people forget to take vitamin D every day during the fall and winter season as recommended in Canada. A solution is to give a vitamin D bolus by mouth. This has been shown to safely and effectively increase vitamin D levels in children. The investigators hypothesise that a vitamin D bolus given in clinic will sufficiently increase the blood level of vitamin D to prevent the expected winter decline in vitamin D, compared with placebo in preschool-aged children with asthma. This six-month pilot randomized controlled trial aims to: (1) show that a vitamin D bolus is superior to placebo in raising vitamin D levels; (2) record the number of asthma attacks and viral infections in enrolled participants; and (3) identify problems that may call for protocol changes.


Options:
A: Arm Label: monitored group; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Dietary Supplement: monitored vit D supplementation | Arm Label: standard group; Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Dietary Supplement: standard vit D supplementation | Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT; Name: monitored vit D supplementation; Assigned to Arm(s): monitored group | Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT; Name: standard vit D supplementation; Assigned to Arm(s): standard group
B: Arm Label: Vitamin D3; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) | Arm Label: Placebo; Type: NO_INTERVENTION; Interventions: N/A | Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT; Name: Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol); Assigned to Arm(s): Vitamin D3
C: Arm Label: Placebo; Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Dietary Supplement: daily vitamin D supplement, Other: Placebo | Arm Label: Vitamin D; Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Vitamin D, Dietary Supplement: daily vitamin D supplement | Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT; Name: Vitamin D; Assigned to Arm(s): Vitamin D | Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT; Name: daily vitamin D supplement; Assigned to Arm(s): Placebo, Vitamin D | Intervention Type: OTHER; Name: Placebo; Assigned to Arm(s): Placebo
D: Arm Label: Vitamin D + Calcium; Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Vitamin D + Calcium | Arm Label: Calcium; Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Calcium | Arm Label: Vitamin D2; Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Vitamin D2 | Arm Label: Vitamin D3; Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Vitamin D3 | Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT; Name: Vitamin D + Calcium; Assigned to Arm(s): Vitamin D + Calcium | Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT; Name: Calcium; Assigned to Arm(s): Calcium | Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT; Name: Vitamin D2; Assigned to Arm(s): Vitamin D2 | Intervention Type: DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT; Name: Vitamin D3; Assigned to Arm(s): Vitamin D3

Answer: C