Vitamin D Regulates the Expression of Glucocorticoid Receptors in Blood of Severe Asthmatic Patients
Condition: Effect of Drug
MeSH terms: Asthma
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Vitamin D (VitD) deficiency is a significant public health concern in many areas around the
      globe which has been associated with many immune-mediated diseases, including asthma. Severe
      asthma has been linked with a decreased glucocorticoid receptors (GR) ratio (GR-α/ GR-β
      ratio), indicating steroid hyporesponsiveness. Using combined in silico and in vivo
      approaches, aimed to explore the immunomodulatory effect of VitD on asthmatic patients
      diagnosed with hypovitaminosis D.
    

Detailed description: 
      Vitamin D (VitD) deficiency is a significant public health concern in many areas around the
      globe which has been associated with many immune-mediated diseases, including asthma. Severe
      asthma has been linked with a decreased glucocorticoid receptors (GR) ratio (GR-α/ GR-β
      ratio), indicating steroid hyporesponsiveness. Using combined in silico and in vivo
      approaches, the investigators aimed to explore the immunomodulatory effect of VitD on
      asthmatic patients diagnosed with hypovitaminosis D. Methods: In silico tools were used to
      identify the regulatory effect of VitD supplementation on GR genes. The investigators
      measured the expression levels of GR-α and the inactive isoform, GR-β, in the blood of adult
      asthmatics diagnosed with hypovitaminosis D before and after VitD supplementation. Moreover,
      the blood levels of inflammatory cytokines associated with asthma severity were determined.
    

Intervention name(s): Vitamin D; Placebo
Intervention type(s): Drug; Other
Intervention description(s): A double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study of VitD supplementation on 45 asthmatics with VitD deficiency was performed. Moderate to severe asthmatics between 18 and 65 years of age who had clinician-diagnosed asthma with 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25 D3) level less than 20ng/mL at the screening visit were recruited at the Rashid Hospital, Dubai, U.A.E., and the Zayed Military Hospital, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. Subjects were excluded if they had used any previous VitD supplementation, had any other respiratory diseases or co-morbid conditions or were smokers. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians guidelines, participants received 50, 000 IU of VitD orally or placebo weekly over 8 weeks. Subjects were blinded to treatment and allocated to receive a VitD dose or placebo by the randomization schedule.; A double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study of VitD supplementation on 45 asthmatics with VitD deficiency was performed. Moderate to severe asthmatics between 18 and 65 years of age who had clinician-diagnosed asthma with 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25 D3) level less than 20ng/mL at the screening visit were recruited at the Rashid Hospital, Dubai, U.A.E., and the Zayed Military Hospital, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. Subjects were excluded if they had used any previous VitD supplementation, had any other respiratory diseases or co-morbid conditions or were smokers. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians guidelines, participants received 50, 000 IU of VitD orally or placebo weekly over 8 weeks. Subjects were blinded to treatment and allocated to receive a VitD dose or placebo by the randomization schedule.
Intervention MeSH terms: Vitamin D
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: double blinded randomized study
Masking: Single (Investigator)
Primary purpose: Basic Science