The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume 156, Issue 6 , Pages 948-952 , June 2010

High Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency among Inner-City African American Youth with Asthma in Washington, DC

  • Robert J. Freishtat, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
    • Department of Integrative Systems Biology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Robert J. Freishtat, MD, MPH, Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20010.
    • ,
  • Sabah F. Iqbal, MD

      Affiliations

    • Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
    • Department of Integrative Systems Biology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
    • ,
  • Dinesh K. Pillai, MD

      Affiliations

    • Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
    • Department of Integrative Systems Biology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
    • ,
  • Catherine J. Klein, PhD, RD

      Affiliations

    • Center for Clinical and Community Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
    • ,
  • Leticia M. Ryan, MD

      Affiliations

    • Center for Clinical and Community Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
    • ,
  • Angela S. Benton, BAS

      Affiliations

    • Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • ,
  • Stephen J. Teach, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Center for Clinical and Community Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC

Received 22 July 2009 ,Revised 10 November 2009 ,Accepted 17 December 2009.

  • Image Result

    Histogram of plasma vitamin D levels among urban African American youth with asthma. Of the 85 children represented in this graph, 73 (86%) had insufficient vitamin D levels (<30 ng/mL) including 46 (

    Histogram of plasma vitamin D levels among urban African American youth with asthma. Of the 85 children represented in this graph, 73 (86%) had insufficient vitamin D levels (<30 ng/mL) including 46 (54% of the cohort) with deficient levels (<20 ng/mL).

  • Image Result
    Seasonal variation in plasma vitamin D levels among urban African American youth with asthma. Seasons in Washington, DC, are denoted as winter (December through February), spring (March through May),

    Seasonal variation in plasma vitamin D levels among urban African American youth with asthma. Seasons in Washington, DC, are denoted as winter (December through February), spring (March through May), summer (June through August), and autumn (September through November). Data are presented as medians (black bars) and interquartile ranges (gray boxes) (P = .005 by analysis of variance).

 Funded by grants from the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (P20MD000198) and the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health (M01RR020359). Additional funding was provided by the Children's Research Institute of Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

PII: S0022-3476(09)01290-6

doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.12.033

The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume 156, Issue 6 , Pages 948-952 , June 2010

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution