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NCT Number: NCT00856947

Vitamin D Supplementation During Pregnancy for Prevention of Asthma in Childhood

The aim of this study is to prevent asthma symptoms (recurrent wheeze) in childhood by supplementation with high dose vitamin D to the mother during pregnancy. Participants are mothers and children of the ABC (Asthma Begins in Childhood) cohort. Mothers are recruited during pregnancy and receive daily supplement with 2400 IU of Vitamin D3 or placebo from week 24 og gestation to 1 week after delivery. In addition all mothers are advised to take the recommended dose of 400 IU vitamin D daily. The mothers in ABC also participate in an interventional trial with fish oil supplementation, and the vitamin D randomization is stratified by fish oil treatment group. The child is followed with acute and planned vits at the research unit, and wheeze is diagnosed according to predefined algorithms.

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

Copenhagen University Hospital of Copenhagen, Gentofte Municipality, Gentofte, Denmark

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Mother:

  • Pregnant in week 22-26 of gestation
  • Participating in the ABC-cohort
  • Living in Sealand, Denmark
  • Fluent in Danish
  • Willing to let the child participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

Mother:

  • Intake of more than 400 IU of vitamin D during the last 6 months
  • Endocrinological disease such as calcium metabolic disorder, parathyroid disorder, thyroid disorder or Diabetes type 1
  • Tuberculosis
  • Sarcoidosis
  • In need of diuretics or heart medication including calcium channel blockers

Treatment and study plan

Cholecalciferol D3

Dietary Supplement

2 tablets of 1200 IU daily from week 24 of gestation to 1 week after delivery

Other names: Vitamin D from Camette, Denmark

Placebo tablet

Other

2 tablets containing no active substance

Other names: Placebo tablets from Camette, Denmark

Primary outcomes

  1. Persistent wheeze

    Time frame: 0 to 3 years of age

    Age at onset of persistent wheeze diagnosed according to predefined algorithm of recurrent troublesome lung symptoms, response to treatment and relapse after withdrawal of treatment

Secondary outcomes

  1. Infections

    Time frame: 0 to 3 years of age

    Main analysis:

    • Number of lower respiratory tract infections registered in daily diaries

    Secondary analyses:

    • Acute otitis media
    • Number of upper respiratory tract infections
    • Number of other infections
    • Total number of infections
  2. Allergic sensitization

    Time frame: 6 and 18 months of age

    Allergic sensitization at 6 and/or 18 months assessed by skin prick test and specific IgE in blood

  3. Eczema

    Time frame: 0 to 3 years of age

    Age at onset of eczema diagnosed prospectively by research doctors according to predefined algorithm based upon Hanifin and Rajka criteria

  4. Mothers levels of 25-OH-Vitamin D, PTH, Calcium, alkaline phosphatase

    Time frame: 1 week after delivery

  5. Growth

    Time frame: 0 to 3 years of age

  6. Asthma exacerbations

    Time frame: 0 to 3 years of age

    Age at onset of severe asthma exacerbation diagnosed by predefined criteria of acute severe asthma requiring oral/high dose inhaled steroids or acute hospital contact

  7. Neurological development

    Time frame: 0-3 years

    Main analysis:

    • Cognitive development assessed at 2½ years using the cognitive part of Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition

    Secondary analyses:

    • Milestone development monitored prospectively by the parents using a registration form based on The Denver Development Index and WHO milestones registration (combined assessment by principal component analysis)
    • Language development assessed at 1 and 2 years of age with the Danish version of The MacArthur Bates Communicative Developmental Inventory (CDI)
    • The child´s general development (language, fine and gross motor, social and problem solving) at 3 years of age assessed with Ages and stages Questioner, third edition (ASQ-3)
  8. Growth

    Time frame: 0-3 years

    Main analysis:

    • Body composition (fat mass and bone mineral density) assessed by DEXA scan at 3 years of age

    Secondary analysis

    • Development of BMI from birth to 3 years assesses longitudinally in the research clinic
  9. Systemic immune status

    Time frame: 18 months

    Main analysis Immune status at 18 months measured in stimulated whole blood as cytokine release (combined assessments by prinicipal component analyses)

    Secondary analyses Composition of immune cell subsets in whole blood at birth and at 18 months of age

  10. Airway mucosal immune status

    Time frame: 4 weeks and 2 years

    Immune status measured in airway mucosal lining fluid at 4 weeks and 2 years of age (combined assessments by prinicipal component analyses for each age point)

  11. 17q21 genotype and sphingolipid metabolites

    Time frame: 6 months

    In a secondary analyses, we will determine the effect of 17q21 genotype on the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in the prevention of asthma/wheeze. We will compute hazard ratios for the reduction in asthma/wheeze risk associated with prenatal supplementation, stratified by rs12936231. rs12936231 is a functional SNP influencing expression of ORMDL3, and given the role of ORMDL3 as a key sphingolipid biosynthesis regulator, we will subsequently investigate the relative abundance of sphingolipids between those in the vitamin D Intervention arm and those in the placebo group, stratified by 17q21 genotype. Finally we will identify interactions between prenatal vitamin D supplementation, rs12936231 genotype and sphingolipid metabolism in the risk of asthma/wheeze by age three.

  12. Dental health

    Time frame: 6 year

    Caries and enamel defects (molar incisor hypomineralization, MIH) determined at a dental examination at age 6 years.

Other outcomes

  1. Asthma

    Time frame: 3-10 years of age

    Asthma diagnosed from age 3 to 10 years based on the same predefined algorithm of recurrent troublesome lung symptoms, response to treatment after withdrawal of treatment, which was used for persistent wheeze at age 0-3 in phase 1 of the study. Primary outcome in phase 2 is current asthma at specific visits till age 10 years, which is diagnosed in children fulfilling the persistent wheeze algorithm at any point during the first 10 years of life and still needing inhaled corticosteroids at specific visits (3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 years of age) to control the symptoms.

  2. Lung function measurements

    Time frame: 5-10 years of age

    Spirometry measuring airflow assessed by FEV1, MMEF and FEV1/FVC ratio at age 5, 6, 8 and 10 years.

  3. Infections

    Time frame: 3-10 years of age

    Prescribed medicine for infections. Types and length of infections

  4. Growth

    Time frame: 3- 10 years of age

    Anthropometrics:

    Clinical follow up on the development of weight in kg (calibrated digital weight scales), height in cm (Harpenden stadiometer), waist-, thorax- and head circumference in cm (using tape; 3 times each) at every visit till age 10 years assessed longitudinally in the research clinic.

  5. Eczema

    Time frame: 3-10 years of age

    Age at onset of eczema diagnosed prospectively by research doctors according to predefined algorithm based upon Hanifin and Rajka criteria

  6. Allergic sensitization/atopy

    Time frame: 6-10 years of age

    Allergic sensitization at 6 and 10 years of age assessed by skin prick test (ALK-Abelló, Denmark) and specific IgE in blood (ImmunoCAP, PHarmacia Diagnostics AB, Sweden).

  7. Airway mucosal immune status

    Time frame: 3-10 years of age

    Immune status measured in airway mucosal lining fluid at 3, 6 and 10 years of age (combined assessments by principal component analyses for each age point).

  8. The diagnose allergic rhinitis

    Time frame: 3-10 years of age

    Allergic rhinitis will be diagnosed by combining allergic sensitization with symptom recording of troublesome congestion or sneezing or runny nose upon relevant exposure to allergens at age 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 years.

  9. Asthma exacerbations:

    Time frame: 3-10 years of age

    Age at onset and number of severe asthma exacerbation diagnosed by predefined criteria of acute severe asthma requiring oral/ high dose inhaled steroids or acute hospital contact

  10. Airway resistance

    Time frame: 3-10 years of age

    Measured by plethysmography (sRaw) at age 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 years.

  11. Airway resistance

    Time frame: 3-5 years of age

    Multiple breath wash-out using SF6 and N2 as inert gasses to determined LCI, Scond and Sacin at ages 3, 4 and 5 years.

  12. Bronchial reactivity:

    Time frame: at 6 years of age

    Provocative dose of methacholine leading to a 20% drop in FEV1 from baseline (PD20 value) at age 6 years.

  13. Body composition

    Time frame: 3-13 years of age

    Body composition measured as fat mass, lean mass, bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density assessed (BMD) through DXA scans at 3, 6 and 13 years of age.

    Body impedance measurements at 10 years of age.

  14. Airway inflammation:

    Time frame: 6-10 years of age

    Measurement of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) at age 6, 8 and 10 years

  15. Cognitive function

    Time frame: 10 years of age

    A 2,5 hours cognitive evaluation at 10 years of age. Cognitive functions from a broad spectrum of cognitive domains will be assessed with subtests both using paper pencil tests and Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery .

  16. MRI scanning of the Brain

    Time frame: 10 years of age

    MRI scanning of the Brain

  17. Behavioral and psychopathological dimensions.

    Time frame: 6- 10 years of age

    Questionnaires will be administered to the parents.

  18. Behavioral and psychopathological dimensions.

    Time frame: 10 years of age

    Behavioral and psychopathological dimensions will be assessed at 10 years of age.

    The childrens' potential psychiatric diagnoses will be ascertained through the semi-structured clinical interview Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children - Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) first with a parent and next with the child.

  19. Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)- Questionnaires

    Time frame: 6, 8 and 10 years of age

    The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief behavioural screening questionnaire about 3-16 year olds. Questionnaires will be administered to the parents to obtain their evaluation of their child's potential psychopathology and behavior problems. Scores will be calculated form the questionnaires in order validated methods

  20. ADHD- RS- Questionnaires

    Time frame: 8 and 10 years of age

    The ADHD Rating Scale obtains parent ratings regarding the frequency of each ADHD symptom based on DSM criteria.

    Questionnaires will be administered to the parents to obtain their evaluation of their child's potential psychopathology and behavior problems. Scores will be calculated form the questionnaires. Scores will be calculated form the questionnaires in order validated methods.

  21. Social Responsive Scale, Second version (SRS-2)

    Time frame: 10 years of age

    The SRS-2 identifies social impairment associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and quantifies its severity Questionnaires will be administered to the parents to obtain their evaluation of their child's potential psychopathology. Scores will be calculated form the questionnaires. Scores will be calculated form the questionnaires in order validated methods.

  22. The Child Behavior Checklist school-age version (CBCL)

    Time frame: 10 years of age

    The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) is a widely used questionnaire to assess behavioral and emotional problems.

    Questionnaires will be administered to the parents to obtain their evaluation of their child's potential psychopathology and behavior problems. Scores will be calculated form the questionnaires. Scores will be calculated form the questionnaires in order validated methods.

  23. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function 2nd edition (BRIEF-2)

    Time frame: 10 years of age

    The BRIEF-2 is a set of questionnaires for parents and teachers , designed to evaluate executive function from multiple perspectives.

    Questionnaires will be administered to the parents to obtain their evaluation of their child's potential psychopathology. Scores will be calculated form the questionnaires. Scores will be calculated form the questionnaires in order validated methods.

  24. Bone fractures

    Time frame: 0-13 years of age

    Description: Assessed by medical record checks including all radiologically verified fractures of larger long bones (i.e. clavicle, radius, ulna, tibia, fibula, femur and humerus). Outcome analyses: total no. of fractures age 0-13 years.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Copenhagen Studies on Asthma in Childhood

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Vitamin D Supplementation During Pregnancy for Prevention of Asthma in Childhood: An Interventional Trial in the ABC (Asthma Begins in Childhood) Cohort

Acronym: ABCvitaminD

Important dates

Study start
2009
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Mar 6, 2009
Registry last updated
Mar 19, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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