Relationship between vitamin D levels and inflammation in patients with recurrent tonsillitis and hypertrophic tonsil

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to study the relationship between vitamin D levels and inflammation in patients with recurrent tonsillitis and hypertrophic tonsils. Patients and Methods: Sixty patients who were admitted between October 2016 and February 2018 and who either had indications for operation due to recurrent tonsillitis (n=30) or tonsillar hypertrophy (n=30) were included in the prospective study. Thirty healthy volunteers who applied to our clinic were included in the study as the control group. Vitamin D, interleukin (IL)-17, IL-18, immunoglobulin (Ig)A, and IgG were obtained, and the differences between the groups were investigated. Results: The IL-17 levels in the recurrent tonsillitis group were found to be significantly higher than in the control group (p=0.012). The tissue IgA levels were significantly higher in the recurrent tonsillitis group compared to the hypertrophic tonsil group (p=0.042). In 17 (56.7%) patients in the recurrent tonsillitis group and 12 (40%) patients in the tonsillar hypertrophy group, vitamin D levels were found to be under 20 ng/mL, which is the level of insufficiency. Conclusion: In this study, there was no significant difference between recurrent tonsillitis patients, hypertrophic tonsil patients, and healthy controls in terms of vitamin D, IL-18, IgG, and IgA levels. The IL-17 levels were higher in patients with recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy patients compared to the control group.