Serum vitamin D level is associated with emphysema progression in male patients with COPD

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D is suggested to play a role in airway and systemic inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels have been suggested to be associated with lower lung function, but not definitely with emphysema severity in COPD. Objectives: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of serum 25-OHD level on the change of emphysema severity in male COPD patients. Methods: A total of 151 male subjects were selected from the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease cohort. Serum 25-OHD level was subdivided into four subgroups: sufficiency (≥ 20 ng/ml), mild deficiency (15~20 ng/ml), moderate deficiency (10~15 ng/ml), and severe deficiency ( Results: The mean level of serum 25-OHD was 15.2 ± 6.7 ng/ml. Smoking history measured in terms of pack-years and the number of active smokers did not show any differences, but baseline CT emphysema severity indices revealed significant differences among four subgroups (p=0.034). A statistically significant difference was also observed among the subgroups of serum 25-OHD level in terms of the change in CT emphysema index over 3 years (p=0.01). Annual increase in emphysema index was more prominent in severe deficiency group (1.34% per year) than in mild and moderate deficiency groups. Conclusion: This study supports that severe vitamin D deficiency is associated with rapid progression of emphysema in male patients with COPD.