Publication
Title
Vitamin D deficiency in lung transplant patients : is it important?
Author
Abstract
Background. Vitamin D deficiency has been reported in different chronic pulmonary diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but little is known in lung transplant recipients. Methods. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels and pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in 1 sec [FEV1] %predicted) were measured in 131 lung transplant patients during their yearly posttransplant check-up hospital stay, and the total number of infections and perivascular/peribronchiolar rejections were assessed from transplantation on. Results. Vitamin D deficiency (<30 ng/mL) occurred in 62 of 131 patients (47.3%), of whom 26 (19.8%) were severely deficient (<20 ng/mL). The FEV1 was significantly lower in the deficient group compared with the group with normal levels (P = 0.019). Moreover, we could find an association between FEV1 and 25-OHD levels in univariate analysis (P = 0.018), which remained significant in multivariate analysis (P = 0.012). The same holds true for the association between 25-OHD levels and the peak postoperative FEV1 (P = 0.021 in multivariate analysis). We also identified significantly more patients with moderate to severe B-grade rejections in the deficient group (P = 0.0038). Conclusion. Vitamin D deficiency is present in 47% of our lung transplant patients and seems independently associated with a lower FEV1 and more severe B-grade rejections. This study raises the potential need for additional vitamin D treatment in lung transplantation and clearly indicates the role of a randomized placebo-controlled trial with vitamin D supplementation, which is ongoing in our center.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Transplantation. - Baltimore, Md, 1963, currens
Publication
Baltimore, Md : 2012
ISSN
0041-1337
1534-6080 [online]
DOI
10.1097/TP.0B013E31823D98BC
Volume/pages
93 :2 (2012) , p. 224-229
ISI
000299164000020
Pubmed ID
22134370
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Publication type
Subject
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 08.06.2021
Last edited 27.12.2024
To cite this reference