journal articles
LONG SUN-EXPOSURES INFLUENCING HIGH SUB-CUTANEOUS SYNTHESIS OF VITAMIN-D3 MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH EXACERBATION OF SYMPTOMS IN ALLERGIC-ASTHMA
L.G. D\'Cruz, S.A. Husain, T. Wells, C. Morgan, P.J. Stanczyk, A. Satgunarajah, J. Kashir, B.L. Calver, L.M. Blayney, F.A. Lai
J Aging Res Clin Practice 2018;7:47-54
Objectives: Does excessive sun-exposure, non-use of sunscreen and/or high doses of vitamin-D3 supplements provoke exacerbation of asthma? Design: Clinical examinations, retrospective records-access and questionnaire surveys were distributed to a convenience sample of allergic-asthma patient (n=183). Setting: Patients (19-89 years) attending the outpatient respiratory clinics at Maidstone Hospital were enrolled. Results: 90.3% of patients (total IgE levels ≥75 kU/L ; n=103) exposed to direct sunlight of ≥ 15 minutes per day continuously for 6-7 days presented with wheeze (χ2(1) = 7.46; p< 0.05) compared to only 9.7% patients of similar atopy-status, presenting with wheeze if exposed to sunlight of < 15 minutes per day for 6-7 days. 68.9% patients (with IgE levels ≥ 75 kU/L ; n=103), non-users of sunscreen (SPF 30 and above), exposed to direct sunlight of ≥ 15 minutes per day continuously for 6-7 days developed a wheeze, compared to fewer users of sunscreen (9.7%, n=103), exposed to the same duration of sunlight who developed asthma symptoms (p< 0.05). Vitamin-D3 supplementation in asthma-patients with clinical signs of hypovitaminosis-D (n=21), produced symptoms of morning chest-tightness (76.2%), allergic rhinitis (61.9%) and wheeze (100%), 2 weeks after initiation of treatment. Conclusions: Our results advocate direct sunlight exposure < 15 minutes per day and use of sunscreen as a novel approach to preventing atopic-asthma symptoms in allergic-asthma patients.. Activated vitamin-D3 is well-recognised to shift the immune-balance towards Th2 predominance, favouring allergic asthma. These results suggest that limiting subcutaneous synthesis of vitamin-D3 in asthma patients and re-addressing dosage of vitamin-D3 supplementation is necessary may contribute to prevent exacerbation of symptoms.
CITATION:
L.G. D'Cruz ; S.A. Husain ; T. Wells ; C. Morgan ; P.J. Stanczyk ; A. Satgunarajah ; J. Kashir ; B.L. Calver ; L.M. Blayney ; F.A. Lai (2018): Long sun-exposures influencing high sub-cutaneous synthesis of vitamin-D3 may be associated with exacerbation of symptoms in allergic-asthma. The Journal of Aging Research and Clinical Practice (JARCP). http://dx.doi.org/10.14283/jarcp.2018.10