Efficacy of vitamin D on chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD): a systematic review

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is considered one of the major culprits for overall mortality in the elderly, about 3.2 million people died of it worldwide in recent years. Enough evidence revealed, a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and COPD cases. Moreover, supplemental vitamin D in affected COPD individuals showed significant improvement in health-related quality of life as well as changes in lung function tests and reduce episodes of acute exacerbation. <b>Aim:</b> To assess and evaluate, the effectiveness of supplemental vitamin D therapy on known COPD patients. <b>Method:</b> A total of 7 randomized controlled trials had chosen for this review; articles were collected with help of PubMed and Cochrane library searching tools. Studies published within 10 years in English, full text in free were included. Pulmonary function test, episode of COPD exacerbation, serum vitamin D level, and health-related quality of life, these parameters were considered to see the effectiveness of therapy. Randomization, blinding, and dropout was assessed using the Jadad score. <b>Results:</b> A total of 7 studies included 433 cases with supplemental vitamin D therapy in the intervention group and control group without Vitamin D (placebo). Findings revealed that improvement of lung function tests, FEV1 baseline to after treatment, 37(8) to 51 (13.9); mean difference 14, 67(17.3) to 69 (14.1); mean difference 2; p=0.10, I 47(18) vs C 40(10); mean difference 7; p=0.115, 45(18.9) to 65 (22.8); mean difference 20 (I1), 46(17.5) to 64 (21.3); mean difference 18(I2), 50 vs 50, difference 0. <b>Conclusion:</b> Vitamin D reduced number of acute exacerbation of COPD along with improvement of quality of life.