Vitamin D and Health

Immune modulation
Table 46: Systematic reviews of intervention & observational studies on vitamin D supplementation/25(OH)D concentration and autoimmune disease risk
Study Methods Results Author’s conclusions
Antico et al
(2012)
Selection criteria:
Inclusion: ecologic studies correlating 25(OH)D with risk of
developing autoimmune disease (AID) in different
geographical areas; prospective studies correlating 25(OH)D
with risk of AID, studies relating administration of vit D & risk
of AID
25(OH)D concentration and AID risk
2 prospective studies correlating serum 25(OH)D with AID – no
association was found between 25(OH)D & RA risk in 1 study; in
the other study, higher 25(OH)D concentrations were associated
with significantly lower risk of multiple sclerosis but only among
whites (not black or Hispanic individuals)
Only studies of type 1 diabetes
suggest risk significantly reduced in
infants treated with vitamin D.
clinical studies of incidence & prevalence of AID in relation
to 25(OH)D concentration.
Exclusion: Not reported.
Vitamin D supplementation and AID risk
Main outcome measure was risk of type 1 diabetes in infancy
9 observational studies (case-control & cohort)
OR = 0.71 (95% CI, 0.60-0.84)
Harvey et al
(2014)
Selection criteria:
Inclusion: observational studies (case-control, cohort, crosssectional),
intervention studies.
Exclusion: studies not in English, did not measure maternal
25(OH)D in or immediately after pregnancy or supplement
participants with vitamin D in pregnancy, or where an
outcome of interest was not measured. Systematic reviews.
Offspring asthma and atopy - 10 observational studies. 5 found
significantly reduced risk of offspring asthma or atopy with higher
maternal 25(OH)D; 3 found a significant positive association
between maternal 25(OH)D & offspring risk of asthma or atopy; 2
studies found no significant association between late pregnancy
25(OH)D & offspring lung function at 6-7y.
No intervention studies were identified.
Offspring Type 1 diabetes mellitus -3 observational studies. 1found
a significantly increased risk of type 1 diabetes in the offspring
with lower maternal 25(OH)D concentration in late pregnancy.
The remaining studies found no significant relationship. No
intervention studies were identified.
Substantial heterogeneity in terms
of study design, outcome definition
and exposure definition with a
variety of conflicting results.
Difficult to conclude any definitive
relationship between maternal
25(OH)D & offspring asthma &
atopy.
The studies relating maternal
25(OH)D to risk of offspring type I
diabetes were generally consistent
in suggesting an inverse
relationship. However one used
vitamin D dietary intake.
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