Vitamin D levels in asthmatic patients with and without allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

Summary Vitamin D deficiency is believed to be a pathogenetic factor in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis ( ABPA ) and cystic fibrosis. Whether vitamin D deficiency is also prevalent in ABPA complicating asthma, remains unknown. Herein, we evaluated vitamin D levels in asthmatic patients with and without ABPA . In a prospective study, plasma vitamin D (25[ OH ]D) levels were measured in consecutive subjects with asthma (n = 75), ABPA (n = 158) and healthy volunteers (n = 50). Vitamin D levels <20 ng/ mL were considered as vitamin D deficiency. There was no difference in mean (95% CI ) vitamin D levels between healthy controls (15.3 [12.7‐17.9]), asthmatics (19.2 [16.3‐22.1]) and subjects with ABPA (18.9 [16.9‐20.8]) ( P  = .22). Vitamin D deficiency was encountered in 70%, 64% and 65% of the healthy controls, asthmatics and ABPA subjects, respectively, and was not different between the groups ( P  = .79). There was no difference in the asthma control, pulmonary function, immunological findings and the severity of bronchiectasis, in patients with ABPA , with and without vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency is equally prevalent in asthmatic patients with or without ABPA in the Indian subcontinent, and does not appear to play a major role in the pathogenesis of ABPA complicating asthma.