Severe vitamin D deficiency is associated with frequent exacerbations and hospitalization in COPD patients
Respiratory Research 2014, 15:131 doi:10.1186/s12931-014-0131-0
Andrei Malinovschi2, Monica Masoero1, Michela Bellocchia1, Antonio Ciuffreda1, Paolo Solidoro3, Alessio Mattei3, Lorena Mercante3, Enrico Heffler1, Giovanni Rolla1 and Caterina Bucca1 caterina.bucca at unito.it
- 96% of COPD patients had low vitamin D = 33X
- Those with low Vitamin D were 18X as likely to have COPD
Some of the associated diseases (from PDF)
most of which are independently associated with low vitamin D
Hypertension | 62% |
Heart disease | 67% |
Pulmonary hypertension | 24% |
Dyslipidemia | 35% |
Thyroid disease | 21% |
Diabetes | 16% |
Renal failure | 20% |
Osteoporosis | 26% |
Depression/Anxiety | 30% |
Obstructive sleep apnea | 12 % |
From WikiPedia
- COPD affects 329 million people (5%)
- In 2012, it ranked as the third-leading cause of death, killing over 3 million people
- An acute exacerbation of COPD is defined as increased shortness of breath, increased sputum production, a change in the color of the sputum from clear to green or yellow, or an increase in cough in someone with COPD
- The primary risk factor for COPD globally is tobacco smoking. Of those who smoke about 20% will get COPD, and of those who are lifelong smokers about half will get COPD.
- In the United States and United Kingdom, of those with COPD, 80-95% are either current smokers or previously smoked
See also VitaminDWiki
- Search COPD 3,900 items as of Nov 2018
- Vitamin D treats COPD thru many pathways – March 2015
- Gene makes COPD 2.6X more likely unless get more vitamin D – meta-analysis Dec 2014
- COPD reduced by vitamin D taken once every 60 days – RCT Dec 2014
- Smoking reduces vitamin D - many studies
- COPD fought by Vitamin D - many studies
- COPD 2X as likely if low vitamin D – review of 3 studies – March 2014
- COPD reduced by vitamin D taken once every 60 days – RCT Dec 2014
- COPD and vitamin D in a vicious circle – April 2011
 Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki.
Background Acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) are common and strongly influence disease severity and relative healthcare costs. Vitamin D deficiency is frequent among COPD patients and its contributory role in disease exacerbations is widely debated. Our aim was to assess the relationship of serum vitamin D levels with COPD severity and AECOPD.
Methods Serum vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) levels were measured in 97 COPD patients and related to lung function, comorbidities, FEV1 decline, AECOPD and hospital admission during the previous year.
Results Most patients (96%) had vitamin D deficiency, which was severe in 35 (36%). No significant relationship was found between vitamin D and FEV1 or annual FEV1 decline. No difference between patients with and without severe vitamin D deficiency was found in age, gender, BMI, smoking history, lung function, and comorbidities, apart from osteoporosis (60.9% in severe deficiency vs 22.7%, p?=?0.001). In multiple logistic regression models, severe deficiency was independently associated with
- AECOPD [adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of 30.5(95%CI 5.55, 168), p?<?0.001] and
- hospitalization [aOR 3.83 (95%CI 1.29, 11.4), p?=?0.02].
The odds ratio of being a frequent exacerbator if having severe vitamin D deficiency was 18.1 (95%CI 4.98, 65.8) (p?<?0.001), while that of hospitalization was 4.57 (95%CI 1.83, 11.4) (p?=?0.001).
Conclusions In COPD patients severe vitamin D deficiency was related to more frequent disease exacerbations and hospitalization during the year previous to the measurement of vitamin D. This association was independent of patients? characteristics and comorbidities.
See also web
- Innate immune modulation in COPD: moving closer towards vitamin D therapy March 2015
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common respiratory diseases and a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Disturbed innate immune processes characterize the pathogenesis of COPD. Vitamin D deficiency is very common in COPD patients and has been associated with disease severity. Interestingly, a number of mechanistic evidence from animal and in vitro studies has demonstrated important innate immunomodulatory functions of vitamin D, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and antimicrobial functions. In this review, we will discuss in detail how these innate immunomodulatory functions of vitamin D could provide therapeutic potential in COPD patients. Finally, the remaining challenges associated with vitamin D therapy in COPD patients will be discussed.