Vitamin D effects in atopic dermatitis

Background: Because vitamin D has immunomodulatory properties and immunologic mechanisms play a role in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD), it is possible that vitamin D may influence the activity of AD. Objective: The aim of the study was to correlate vitamin D concentrations in patients who had AD with clinical, immunologic, constitutional, and environmental factors, and to determine if vitamin D supplementation affects the clinical manifestations of AD. Methods: Clinical and laboratory parameters of 95 patients with AD and 58 control subjects were measured. Severity of AD was assessed with the SCORAD index. Results: The mean serum concentration of 25(OH)D-3 in patients with AD was not statistically different from control subjects. The frequency of bacterial skin infections was higher in patients with AD who had lower 25(OH)D-3 levels. No statistical associations between vitamin D levels and other multiple laboratory and clinical parameters were found. After supplementation both mean objective SCORAD and SCORAD index were significantly lower (P < .05). Limitations: All study patients were Caucasians and only one supplemental vitamin D dose and treatment duration were assessed. Conclusion: The results from this study indicate that vitamin D supplementation may help ameliorate clinical signs of the disease and can be considered as a safe and well-tolerated form of therapy.