Abstract
Introduction: 31-77% of patients with COPD have vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency, with results being highly variable between studies. Vitamin D may also correlate with disease characteristics.
Aim: To find out the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in patients with COPD admitted for exacerbation and the correlations of lower vitamin D levels with comorbidities and COPD characteristics.
Methods: 152 patients were studied for vitamin D status (25(OH)D). All of them were also assessed for diabetes mellitus (DM) and metabolic syndrome (MS). Data were gathered for smoking status and exacerbations in last year. All patients completed CAT and mMRC questionnaires and underwent spirometry.
Results: 83,6% of patients have reduced levels of vitamin D. 42,8% have vitamin D insufficiency (defined as 25-50 nmol/L) and 40,8% have vitamin D deficiency (<25 nmol/L). The mean level of 25(OH)D is 31,97 nmol/L (95%CI 29,12–34,68). Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are more prevalent in females (97,7 vs 77,8%; p=0.003). The prevalence and severity of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in this study is significantly higher when compared to national representative study (prevalence 75,8%; mean level 38,75 nmol/L). Vitamin D correlates with quality of life (mMRC) and lung function (FVC, FEV1, FEV6, FEF2575, FEV3, but not with FEV1/FVC ratio and PEF), but does not correlate with the presence of arterial hypertension, DM, MS and number of moderate, severe and total exacerbations. Vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for longer hospital stay.
Conclusions: The patients with COPD admitted for exacerbation are a risk group for vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency which are associated with worse disease characteristics.
- Copyright ©ERS 2015