title: Vitamin D Deficiency and Insufficiency in Hospitalized COPD Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  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.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To find out the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in patients with COPD admitted for exacerbation and a risk factors for lower vitamin D levels among comorbidities and COPD characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  152 patients were studied for vitamin D serum levels (25(OH)D). All of them were also assessed for diabetes mellitus (DM) and metabolic syndrome (MS). Data were gathered also for smoking status and exacerbations in last year. All patients completed CAT and mMRC questionnaires and underwent spirometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 83,6% of patients have reduced levels of vitamin D. 42,8% (65/152) have vitamin D insufficiency (defined as 25-50 nmol/L) and 40,8% (62/152) have vitamin D deficiency (<25 nmol/L). The mean level of 25(OH)D for all patients is 31,97 nmol/L (95%CI 29,12-34,68). Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are more prevalent in females vs. males (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 an unselected Bulgarian population (prevalence 75,8%; mean level 38,75 nmol/L). Vitamin D levels correlate with quality of life (measured by the mMRC scale) and lung function (FVC, FEV1, FEV6, FEF2575, FEV3, but not with FEV1/FVC ratio and PEF), it 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 is associated with worse disease characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center for Pulmonary Diseases, SHATPD 'Sveta Sofia', Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Evgeni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mekov
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center for Pulmonary Diseases, SHATPD 'Sveta Sofia', Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Yanina
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Slavova
authors.affiliation: Central Clinical Laboratory, UMHAT 'Alexandrovska', Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Adelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsakova
authors.affiliation: Central Clinical Laboratory, UMHAT 'Alexandrovska', Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Marianka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Genova
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center for Pulmonary Diseases, SHATPD 'Sveta Sofia', Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Dimitar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kostadinov
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center for Pulmonary Diseases, SHATPD 'Sveta Sofia', Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Delcho
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Minchev
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center for Pulmonary Diseases, SHATPD 'Sveta Sofia', Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Dora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marinova
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center for Pulmonary Diseases, SHATPD 'Sveta Sofia', Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tafradjiiska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D