• Virginia Mirra, Carlo Caffarelli, Marco Maglione, Rossella Valentino, Giuseppe Perruolo, Claudia Mazzarella, Laida Lisa Di Micco, Silvia Montella, and Francesca Santamaria.
• Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131, Naples, Italy. virginia.mirra@hotmail.it.
• Ital J Pediatr. 2015 Feb 22; 41: 14.

BackgroundA relationship between low levels of serum vitamin D and respiratory infections has been established. No study has examined the frequency and clinical relevance of vitamin D deficiency in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD).MethodsVitamin D levels were measured in 22 PCD patients (7 females, 10.5 years, range, 2-34 years). In PCD, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), sputum microbiology, self-reported physical activity (PA) level, and quality of life (QoL) by means of the Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), were also assessed.ResultsSeventy-two percent of PCD patients were vitamin-D deficient-to-insufficient and 28% were sufficient. No differences in PFTs parameters were found between vitamin D deficiency-to-insufficiency and sufficiency groups. Patients with vitamin D deficiency-to-insufficiency had significantly higher SGRQ total scores, and thus poorer QoL (p = 0.03). Seventy-nine percent of PCD subjects had limitations in performing vigorous activities, and 53% performed less than 3 hours of PA per week. Vitamin D deficiency-to-insufficiency and sufficiency groups did not show any differences in age at PCD diagnosis or at onset of respiratory symptoms, BMI, atopy, current asthma or bronchiectasis. However, 79% of patients with bronchiectasis had vitamin D deficiency-to-insufficiency. No differences were found in the rate of positive sputum cultures and in the number of antibiotic courses between the two groups.ConclusionsHypovitaminosis D is common in PCD patients, and is associated with poorer QoL. We recommend the assessment and treatment of hypovitaminosis D to be included in the routine management of PCD.

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