Vitamin D as adjunctive therapy in refractory pulmonary tuberculosis: a case report.
Vitamin D regulates calcium homeostasis in the body and may play a major role in regulating immune responses to tuberculosis (TB). Pilot studies suggest that vitamin D supplementation may improve outcomes in pulmonary TB (PTB), but clinical evidence using vitamin D in TB treatment is limited. We present a case of vitamin D deficiency in a woman with refractory drug-susceptible PTB. Antituberculous therapy and the correction of vitamin D deficiency resulted in clinical and microbiologic improvement at month 13 of her treatment. The basis for vitamin D/TB interactions and a brief literature review are discussed. Data from controlled trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin D as adjunctive TB therapy.
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University-School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA. ayamshc@emory.edu
Alexandra V
AV
Yamshchikov
Alawode
A
Oladele
Michael K
MK
Leonard
Henry M
HM
Blumberg
Thomas R
TR
Ziegler
Vin
V
Tangpricha
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D