Combined effect of pulmonary rehabilitation and vitamin D supplementation on pulmonary function tests in asthma patients.

In 30 seconds

This 12-week randomized comparative study evaluated pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), vitamin D supplementation, and their combination in 90 adults aged 30–55 years with mild to moderate asthma and serum 25(OH)D <30 ng/mL. Each intervention group included 30 participants. Pulmonary function improved in all groups, with the largest gains in the combined PR-plus-vitamin-D group: FEV1 Δ0.44 ± 0.10 L, compared with Δ0.32 ± 0.09 L for PR alone and Δ0.18 ± 0.08 L for vitamin D alone. Between-group differences favored the combined intervention (p < 0.001).

Key findings

• FEV1 increased by Δ0.44 ± 0.10 L with combined PR and vitamin D, Δ0.32 ± 0.09 L with PR, and Δ0.18 ± 0.08 L with vitamin D alone.
• FVC gains were Δ0.44 ± 0.12 L, Δ0.28 ± 0.11 L, and Δ0.15 ± 0.10 L, respectively, for combined treatment, PR, and vitamin D.
• Between-group comparisons favored combined treatment over PR alone and vitamin D alone for pulmonary function improvement (p < 0.001).
• Serum 25(OH)D increased in the two supplementation groups (p < 0.001) and was unchanged with PR alone.

Why it matters

The findings suggest that, among adults with mild to moderate asthma and low vitamin D, combining structured pulmonary rehabilitation with supplementation may yield greater short-term improvements in lung-function measures than either intervention alone. This provides a rationale for further evaluation of combined approaches, while the reported outcomes do not establish effects on asthma symptoms, exacerbations, or longer-term disease control.

What to keep in mind

The study followed participants for 12 weeks and reports pulmonary function and vitamin D outcomes; longer-term clinical outcomes are not provided in the abstract.