Meta- analysis of a modest number of trials in people with predominantly mild to moderate asthma suggests that vitamin D is likely to reduce both the risk of severe asthma exacerbation and healthcare use .
Children and people with frequent severe asthma exacerbations were under-represented ; additional primary trials are needed to establish whether vitamin D can reduce the risk of severe asthma exacerbation in these groups
BACKGROUND Several clinical trials of vitamin D to prevent  asthma exacerbation  and improve  asthma control  have been conducted in children and adults , but a meta- analysis restricted to double-blind , r and omised , placebo-controlled trials of this intervention is lacking .
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of administration of vitamin D and its hydroxylated metabolites in reducing the risk of severe asthma exacerbations ( defined as those requiring treatment with systemic corticosteroids ) and improving asthma symptom control .
Therapy of steroid-induced bone loss in adult asthmatics with calcium, vitamin D, and a diphosphonate.
In a prospect i ve , controlled , and r and omized clinical trial , we examined the effects of treatment with vitamin D ( 1,000 IU/d ) , calcium ( 1 g/d ) , and ethane-1-hydroxy-1,1-diphosphonate ( EHDP ; 7.5 mg/kg body weight ) on vertebral bone mass in fourteen asthmatics undergoing long-term treatment with systemically applied corticosteroids .  The extent of steroid-induced bone loss was judged by vertebral bone density of the lumbar spine measured by dual-photon absorptiometry as well as by vertebral crush fracture incidence examined by conventional X-ray . Results of the measurements before treatment and after six mo were compared with those of an untreated control group of nineteen asthmatics .  Bone density increased during the observation period by 5 % in the treated group , compared with a decrease of 4.3 % in the untreated control group ( p < 0.01 ) . Moreover , in the treated group no radiologically visible new fractures occurred ; in the control group new fractures were observed in four patients . There were no serious side effects of the applied drugs during the 6-mo period . Therefore , the combination of EHDP , calcium , and vitamin D appears to be a useful regimen for the management of steroid-induced bone loss in adult asthmatics
Meta- analysis of a modest number of trials in people with predominantly mild to moderate asthma suggests that vitamin D is likely to reduce both the risk of severe asthma exacerbation and healthcare use .
Children and people with frequent severe asthma exacerbations were under-represented ; additional primary trials are needed to establish whether vitamin D can reduce the risk of severe asthma exacerbation in these groups
BACKGROUND Several clinical trials of vitamin D to prevent  asthma exacerbation  and improve  asthma control  have been conducted in children and adults , but a meta- analysis restricted to double-blind , r and omised , placebo-controlled trials of this intervention is lacking .
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of administration of vitamin D and its hydroxylated metabolites in reducing the risk of severe asthma exacerbations ( defined as those requiring treatment with systemic corticosteroids ) and improving asthma symptom control .