Study of vitamin D levels in patients with allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most common type of chronic rhinitis, affecting 10-20% of the population. Severe allergic rhinitis has been associated with significant impairments in quality of life, sleep, and work performance. Vitamin D and its role in regulation of immune function was first proposed after the identification of vitamin D receptors in lymphocytes. There are recent researches linking vitamin D to various immune-related conditions, including allergy, although the pattern of this relationship is still yet to establish.

Methods and materials: an observational descriptive study conducted in the Outpatient Department of ENT of Sri Siddhartha Medical College, Tumkur, Karnataka, over a period of 1 year comprising of around 40 patients from 18-65 years of age suffering from allergic rhinitis patients were scored using Total nasal symptoms scoring system (TNSS) based on nasal symptoms. Also, Vitamin D levels are measured and based on these levels patients are graded.

Results: Among 40 patients, male predominance with 23(57.5%) cases with mean age of 38.4 +/- 6.8. Majority of patients were in 7-10 TNSS with 15 patients accounting for 37.5%. Patients with severe allergic symptoms had mean vitamin D level about 19.6 +/- 4.2 ng/dl, patients with moderate symptoms were seen with mean vitamin D level 28.6 +/- 3.6 ng/dl and with mild symptoms 34.4+/- 2.8 ng/dl and the p value was significant (<0.04) in our study.

Conclusion: Vitamin D could improve allergy symptoms directly or indirectly by potentiating the anti-inflammatory effects of the medications used to treat allergy.