title: Vitamin D deficiency in lung transplant patients: is it important?
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 [FEV(1)] %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 FEV(1) was significantly lower in the deficient group compared with the group with normal levels (P=0.019). Moreover, we could find an association between FEV(1) 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 FEV(1) (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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D deficiency is present in 47% of our lung transplant patients and seems independently associated with a lower FEV(1) 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.
authors: Lung Transplant Unit, K.U. Leuven and University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Stijn E
authors: SE
authors: Verleden
authors: Robin
authors: R
authors: Vos
authors: Rachel
authors: R
authors: Geenens
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Ruttens
authors: Annemie
authors: A
authors: Vaneylen
authors: Lieven J
authors: LJ
authors: Dupont
authors: Geert M
authors: GM
authors: Verleden
authors: Dirk E
authors: DE
authors: van Raemdonck
authors: Bart M
authors: BM
authors: Vanaudenaerde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D