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25‐hydroxyvitamin D and health service utilization for asthma in early childhood
Author(s) -
Omand Jessica A.,
To Teresa,
O'Connor Deborah L.,
Parkin Patricia C.,
Birken Catherine S.,
Thorpe Kevin E.,
Maguire Jonathon L.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.24067
Subject(s) - medicine , asthma , vitamin d and neurology , emergency department , pediatrics , vitamin d deficiency , pregnancy , poisson regression , prospective cohort study , logistic regression , cohort , cohort study , population , environmental health , psychiatry , genetics , biology
Background Asthma is the most common chronic illness of childhood and a common reason for hospital admission. Studies suggest that low vitamin D levels may be associated with health service utilization (HSU) for childhood asthma. The primary objective was to determine if vitamin D serum levels in early childhood were associated with HSU for asthma including: a) hospital admissions; b) emergency department visits; and c) outpatient sick visits. Secondary objectives were to determine whether vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy or childhood were associated with HSU for asthma. Methods Prospective cohort study of children participating in the TARGet Kids! practice‐based research network between 2008 and 2013 in Toronto, Canada. HSU was determined by linking each child's provincial health insurance number to health administrative databases. Multivariable quasi‐Poisson and logistic regression were used to evaluate the association between 25‐hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy, and childhood and HSU for asthma. Results A total of 2926 healthy children aged 0‐6 years had 25‐hydroxyvitamin D data available and were included in the primary analysis. Mean (IQR) 25‐hydroxyvitmain D level was 84 nmol/L (65‐98 nmol/L), 218 and 1267 children had 25‐hydroxyvitamin D concentrations <50 nmol/L and <75 nmol/L, respectively. In the adjusted models, there were no associations between 25‐hydroxyvitamin D concentrations (continuously or dichotomized at 50 and 75 nmol/L), vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy or childhood and HSU for asthma. Conclusions Vitamin D blood values do not appear to be associated with HSU for asthma in this population of healthy urban children.