title: The relationship between Vitamin D, clinical outcomes and mortality rate in ICU patients: A prospective observational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  According to the high prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency, a few studies have been conducted to clarify the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients. The objective of this study was to determine this probable association.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum 25(OH)D, C-reactive protein, malnutrition measurements, and Intensive Care Unit (ICU)-acquired infection from 185 patients in ICU were assessed in the first 24 h of admission and they were followed for the other outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 93.5% of patients were classified as deficient and insufficient while the others were categorized in sufficient group. 25(OH)D status was not significantly associated with mortality rate (P= 0.66), and no significant differences in ventilation time were observed (P= 0.97). Sufficient group left the ICU sooner, but the difference was not significant (P= 0.75). Besides the results of relationship between 25(OH)D concentration and nutritional status (P= 0.69) were not significant. In addition, sufficient group suffered from infection more than insufficient patients, but this relationship was not significant (P= 0.11).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, we found that 25(OH)D insufficiency is common in ICU patients, but no significant association between low 25(OH)D levels and ICU outcomes were observed. Hence, because of vital roles of Vitamin D in human's body, comprehensive study should conduct to determine the decisive results.
authors.affiliation: Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Nooshin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vosoughi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Anesthesiology and Critical Care Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Parviz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kashefi
authors.affiliation: Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Behnood
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abbasi
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Awat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feizi
authors.affiliation: Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Askari
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Azadbakht
keywords: 25-hydroxyvitamin D; Intensive Care Unit; hospital-acquired infection; inflammation; length of stay; malnutrition; mortality; ventilation time