Maternal Vit D intake protects infants against Atopic eczema

Antenatal cholecalciferol supplementation has a protective effect on the risk of infantile atopic eczema due to increased breast milk cholecalciferol levels as per a study that was published in the journal 'British Journal of Dermatology.' 

There are inconsistent results on the association between prenatal maternal vitamin D supplements and the development of atopic eczema in the offspring. Most of the existing data is from observational studies. Hence, researchers conducted a study to examine the influence of maternal cholecalciferol supplementation during pregnancy on the risk of atopic eczema in the offspring at ages 12, 24, and 48 months using the UK Maternal Vitamin D Osteoporosis Study (MAVIDOS) trial.

MAVIDOS is a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial where pregnant women were allocated either cholecalciferol 1000 IU per day or matched placebo, taken from around 14 weeks gestation until delivery. the primary outcome of measurement was neonatal whole-body bone mineral content. Based on the UK Working Party criteria for the definition of atopic dermatitis, the prevalence of atopic eczema in the offspring was ascertained at ages 12 months having 635 infants, 24 months with 610 infants, and 48 months with 449 infants. 

Results

• Except for longer breastfeeding duration in the intervention group, the characteristics of mothers and offspring were similar between the intervention and placebo groups, 
• Adjusting for breastfeeding duration, offspring of mothers who received cholecalciferol 1000 IU daily had a lower odds ratio (OR) of atopic eczema at age 12 months, but this effect weakened and was not statistically significant at ages 24 months or 48 months.
• The statistical interaction of intervention and breastfeeding duration in relation to eczema at age 12 months was not significant (P = 0·41), but stratification showed reduced infantile eczema risk in the intervention group for infants breastfed for ≥ 1 month but not in that breastfed for < 1 month. 

Thus, the researchers concluded from the study that this trial was one of the first to find that there was a protective effect of antenatal cholecalciferol supplementation on the risk of infantile atopic eczema. They attributed the reason to the increased breast milk cholecalciferol levels. They also supported the developmental influence on atopic eczema and the modifiable perinatal influence on atopic eczema. 

To read the full article, click here:  https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.21721 

El-Heis S, D'Angelo S, Curtis EM, et al. Maternal Antenatal Vitamin D Supplementation and Offspring Risk of Atopic Eczema in the First 4 Years of Life. SSRN Electronic Journal. Published online 2022. doi:10.2139/ssrn.4000445