Vitamin D: A Modulator of Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is a disease with an increasing prevalence and impact on medical practice. People suffering from allergic rhinitis often see their quality of life decreased. Allergic rhinitis treatment consists of a set of oral treatments and nasal drops and sprays, and many patients often don’t see their symptoms fade with this common approach.

This case-control observational study reviewed vitamin D as a therapeutic agent for allergic rhinitis. 80 participants were included, 40 healthy participants and 40 allergic rhinitis patients. Participants with allergic rhinitis were supplemented with oral vitamin D (cholecalciferol-1000 IU once daily). Serum vitamin D, total nasal symptom score (TNSS) and total eosinophilic count (TEC) were calculated and compared at baseline, 1 and 3 months. Serum vitamin D levels at baseline were 20.15 + 10.26 ng/ml for patients and 27.94 + 13.38 ng/ml for healthy controls. The TNSS score of allergic rhinitis of patients was 7.43 + 1.87 and of controls was 5.00 + 1.52. TEC of people with allergic rhinitis was 546.15 + 113.39 and of healthy controls was 313.33 + 125.08. After vitamin D treatment, participants with allergic rhinitis, serum vitamin D level was 38.05 + 14.62 and of controls was 27.43 + 12.76. TNSS of people with allergic rhinitis was 3.53 + 0.68 and 4.43 + 1.17 in healthy control group, TEC of participants with allergic rhinitis was 68.13 + 38.95 and of healthy controls was 197.03 + 123.36. Investigators concluded that vitamin D can act as disease modulator and that in people with allergic rhinitis, vitamin D supplementation offers symptomatic relief and lowers TNSS and TEC values.