Atopic dermatitis and skin diseaseRandomized trial of vitamin D supplementation for winter-related atopic dermatitis in children
Section snippets
Methods
This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (latitude 48° N), in association with the National Dermatology Center, the Health Sciences University of Mongolia, and Harvard University. During February to March 2009, children were recruited from 8 dermatology outpatient clinics and 1 asthma outpatient clinic. Eligibility required winter-related AD, defined as a history of AD worsening during either the fall-to-winter transition or during cold
Results
A total of 148 children were assessed for eligibility, of which 41 were excluded (Fig 1). Most exclusions (38 of 41) were for children who had AD but not winter-related AD. This left 107 children in the trial. The median age of subjects was 9 years (IQR 4 years to 14 years), and 59% were male (Table I). The median age of AD onset was 3 months (IQR 2 months to 1 year). Most children (74%) had used topical corticosteroids previously for their AD, with 19% reporting use in the past week. The
Discussion
In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 107 Mongolian children with winter-related AD, oral vitamin D supplementation with 1000 IU daily for 1 month produced a clinically and statistically significant improvement in AD severity. These findings build on our 2008 publication showing similar results in 11 Boston children.10 In both RCTs, the subjects were children with a specific subtype of AD (ie, winter-related AD) and, based on their northern location (Boston or Mongolia)
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Cited by (0)
This trial was supported by Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Study agents and packaging were provided by Ddrops Company (Toronto, Ontario, Canada). Neither sponsor had any role in the design and conduct of the study; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data; nor in the preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.
Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no relevant conflicts of interest.