Investigating the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and the incidence and severity of pneumonia in patients with community-acquired pneumonia.

behrooz ghanbari

Abstract:
Background
CAP ( community acquired pneumonia ) is one of the most common infectious diseases that leads to hospitalization of patients. Also, the effects of vitamin D deficiency on the functioning of the immune system and its association with infectious diseases such as CAP have received much attention in recent years. Therefore, we decided to investigate the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and the incidence and severity of CAP pneumonia in this study.
Methods
In this case-control study, 75 patients with CAP and 75 healthy individuals were evaluated and serum levels of vitamin D in these two groups were measured and compared.
Results
The present study shows that for each unit increase in serum vitamin D level, the need for hospitalization in the ICU according to the IDSA criterion is reduced by seven percent and according to the CURB65 criterion, the need for hospitalization in the ward and ICU is reduced by fifteen percent. Vitamin D deficiency also increases the chance of developing community-acquired pneumonia by 3.08 times. And for every unit increase in vitamin D, the chance of developing community-acquired pneumonia decreases by 4 percent. And in people with vitamin D deficiency, the chance of being admitted to the ICU according to IDSA is 2.05 times and according to CURB65 is 2.84 times.
Conclusions
Overall, based on the results of this study, it is concluded that vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased incidence as well as a greater severity of community acquired pneumonia.

Journal of Arak University of Medical Sciences

Investigating the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and the incidence and severity of pneumonia in patients with community-acquired pneumonia.