Abstract
BackgroundVitamin D deficiency has been reported among patients with tuberculosis in Africa despite abundant sunshine. Vitamin D plays a fundamental role in improving anti tuberculosis immunity, reducing progression and severity of TB in humans.MethodsIn this descriptive cross sectional study, 260 hospitalized adults with a confirmed diagnosis of TB were enrolled into the study from the pulmonology wards of Mulago national referral and teaching hospital, Uganda. The serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25 (OH) D were determined by an electrochemilumniscence immunoassay. Vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D insufficiency, severe and very severe vitamin D deficiency were defined as serum 25(OH) D concentrations of ≤ 20 ng/ml, 21–29 ng/ml, < 10 ng/ml and <5 ng/ml respectively.ResultsMajority of the study participants were males (146, 56.2%) and < 35 years (154, 59.2%). The mean age ± SD was 34.7 ± 9.5 years. Two hundred eight (80%) patients were HIV co-infected with a median CD4 count of 68 cells/mm3 (IQR: 17–165). The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D insufficiency, severe and very severe vitamin D deficiency among the hospitalized adult tuberculosis patients was 44.2%, 23.5%, 13.5% and 4.2% respectively. The median (IQR) vitamin D concentration in ng/ml was 22.55 (14.59-33.31).Vitamin D deficiency was more prevalent in patients with hypoalbuminemia (97.4%), anemia (86.1%), HIV co-infected patients with CD4 count <200cells/mm3 (83.2%) and hypocalcemia corrected for serum albumin levels (67%).ConclusionVitamin D deficiency is very common among hospitalized adult tuberculosis patients in Uganda especially in patients with hypoalbuminemia, anemia, HIV co-infected patients with CD4 count <200cells/mm3 and hypocalcemia corrected for serum albumin levels.
Highlights
Vitamin D deficiency has been reported among patients with tuberculosis in Africa despite abundant sunshine
Ensuing studies among African TB patients done in Uganda [5], Guinea Bissau [6], Malawi [7], Tanzania [8] and South Africa [9] have reported similar findings with the documented prevalence of vitamin D deficiency ranging from 8.5% in Guinea Bissau [6] to 62.7% in South Africa [9]
In this study, we report a prevalence of vitamin D deficiency of 44.2% among 260 hospitalised adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of TB at Mulago hospital in Uganda
Summary
Vitamin D deficiency has been reported among patients with tuberculosis in Africa despite abundant sunshine. Vitamin D deficiency has been widely documented among African immigrants in Europe [3,4] and African TB patients [5,6,7,8,9]. The earliest study assessing the concentrations of serum vitamin D among TB patients in Africa was done by Davies et al among Kenyan subjects in 1987. Ensuing studies among African TB patients done in Uganda [5], Guinea Bissau [6], Malawi [7], Tanzania [8] and South Africa [9] have reported similar findings with the documented prevalence of vitamin D deficiency ranging from 8.5% in Guinea Bissau [6] to 62.7% in South Africa [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
