Severe vitamin D deficiency is associated with frequent exacerbations and hospitalization in COPD patients

Background

Acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) are common and strongly influence disease severity and relative healthcare costs. Vitamin D deficiency is frequent among COPD patients and its contributory role in disease exacerbations is widely debated. Our aim was to assess the relationship of serum vitamin D levels with COPD severity and AECOPD.

Methods

Serum vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) levels were measured in 97 COPD patients and related to lung function, comorbidities, FEV1 decline, AECOPD and hospital admission during the previous year.

Results

Most patients (96%) had vitamin D deficiency, which was severe in 35 (36%). No significant relationship was found between vitamin D and FEV1 or annual FEV1 decline. No difference between patients with and without severe vitamin D deficiency was found in age, gender, BMI, smoking history, lung function, and comorbidities, apart from osteoporosis (60.9% in severe deficiency vs 22.7%, p = 0.001). In multiple logistic regression models, severe deficiency was independently associated with AECOPD [adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of 30.5 (95% CI 5.55, 168), p < 0.001] and hospitalization [aOR 3.83 (95% CI 1.29, 11.4), p = 0.02]. The odds ratio of being a frequent exacerbator if having severe vitamin D deficiency was 18.1 (95% CI 4.98, 65.8) (p < 0.001), while that of hospitalization was 4.57 (95% CI 1.83, 11.4) (p = 0.001).

Conclusions

In COPD patients severe vitamin D deficiency was related to more frequent disease exacerbations and hospitalization during the year previous to the measurement of vitamin D. This association was independent of patients’ characteristics and comorbidities.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12931-014-0131-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

维生素D辅助治疗过敏性哮喘的研究进展

过敏性哮喘是由多种炎症细胞和介质共同参与的以气道炎症为特征的疾病,病因和发病机制极其复杂,目前尚不完全清楚。维生素D最经典的作用是调节钙和磷的吸收,近年来随着对维生素D代谢和生物学效应的深入研究,发现维生素D对人体免疫系统存在更广泛的影响,在大多数疾病中均能发挥作用。维生素D参与哮喘辅助治疗的机制体现在多个方面,主要通过免疫学机制调节Th1/Th2平衡,降低气道重塑的风险。此外,维生素D能影响肠道菌群组成和比例,可能通过“肺—肠轴”缓解哮喘。在此基础上,维生素D与糖皮质激素等药物联用,可以增强药效,减少药物用量。本文就维生素D辅助治疗过敏性哮喘的研究进展进行总结分析。     

Circulating vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in humans: An important tool to define adequate nutritional vitamin D status

Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] is generally considered the means by which we define nutritional vitamin D status. There is much debate, however, with respect to what a healthy minimum level of circulation 25(OH)D should be. Recent data using various biomarkers such as intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), intestinal calcium absorption, and skeletal density measurements suggest this minimum level to be 80 nmol (32 ng/mL). Surprisingly, the relationship between circulating vitamin D₃ and its metabolic product—25(OH)D₃ has not been studied. We investigated this relationship in two separate populations: the first, individuals from Hawaii who received significant sun exposure; the second, subjects from a lactation study who received up to 6400 IU vitamin D₃/day for 6 months.

Results (1) the relationship between circulating vitamin D₃ and 25(OH)D in both groups was not linear, but appeared saturable and controlled; (2) optimal nutritional vitamin D status appeared to occur when molar ratios of circulating vitamin D₃ and 25(OH)D exceeded 0.3; at this point, the V_max of the 25-hydroxylase appeared to be achieved. This was achieved when circulating 25(OH)D exceeded 100 nmol.

We hypothesize that as humans live today, the 25-hydroxylase operates well below its V_max because of chronic substrate deficiency, namely vitamin D₃. When humans are sun (or dietary) replete, the vitamin D endocrine system will function in a fashion as do these other steroid synthetic pathways, not limited by substrate. Thus, the relationship between circulating vitamin D and 25(OH)D may represent what “normal” vitamin D status should be.     

Severe and uncontrolled adult asthma is associated with vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency

Background

Vitamin D has effects on the innate and adaptive immune system. In asthmatic children low vitamin D levels are associated with poor asthma control, reduced lung function, increased medication intake, and exacerbations. Little is known about vitamin D in adult asthma patients or its association with asthma severity and control.

Methods

Clinical parameters of asthma control and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) serum concentrations were evaluated in 280 adult asthma patients (mean ± SD: 45.0 ± 13.8 yrs., 40% male, FEV1 74.9 ± 23.4%, 55% severe, 51% uncontrolled).

Results

25(OH)D concentrations in adult asthmatics were low (25.6 ±11.8 ng/ml) and vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency (vitamin D <30 ng/ml) was common (67%). 25(OH)D levels were related to asthma severity (intermittent: 31.1 ± 13.0 ng/ml, mild: 27.3 ± 11.9 ng/ml, moderate: 26.5 ± 12.0 ng/ml, severe: 24.0 ± 11.8 ng/ml, p = 0.046) and control (controlled: 29.5 ± 12.5 ng/ml, partly controlled 25.9 ± 10.8 ng/ml, uncontrolled: 24.2 ± 11.8 ng/ml, p = 0.030). The frequency of vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency was significantly higher in patients with severe or uncontrolled asthma and was associated with a lower FEV1 (vitamin D <30 vs. ≥30 ng/ml 2.3 ± 0.9 L vs. 2.7 ± 1.0 L, p = 0.006), higher levels of exhaled NO (45 ± 46 ppb vs. 31 ± 37 ppb, p = 0.023), a higher BMI (28.3 ± 6.2 vs. 25.1 ± 3.9, p < 0.001), and sputum eosinophilia (5.1 ± 11.8% vs. 0.5 ± 1.0%, p = 0.005). The use of oral corticosteroids or sputum eosinophilia was associated with a 20% or 40% higher risk of vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency.

Conclusions

25(OH)D levels below 30 ng/ml are common in adult asthma and most pronounced in patients with severe and/or uncontrolled asthma, supporting the hypothesis that improving suboptimal vitamin D status might be effective in prevention and treatment of asthma.     

恒温扩增芯片法在重症监护病房肺部感染患者诊断中的应用

目的评价恒温扩增芯片法在重症监护病房肺部感染患者下呼吸道感染病原体检测中的效果。方法收集合格痰标本146例,通过恒温扩增芯片法和细菌培养法检测病原体,对两种方法检测结果进行分析。结果 146例痰液标本中,恒温扩增芯片法检出阳性标本114例(阳性率为78.1%),其中单一致病菌感染42例,2种及以上致病菌混合感染72例。45例标本检测到mecA基因,其中13例为耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌。146例痰标本中,有109例痰标本同时进行了痰培养检测,痰培养阳性率为67.9%(74/109),相应的恒温扩增芯片法检测阳性率为82.6%(90/109);痰培养结果阴性共计35例,与之相符合的恒温扩增芯片法检测阴性共计16例(阴性符合率45.7%)。恒温扩增芯片法对肺炎链球菌、肺炎克雷伯菌、铜绿假单胞菌、嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌、流感嗜血杆菌的阳性检出率明显高于痰培养,差异具有统计学意义。恒温扩增芯片法检测到2例结核分枝杆菌复合群、1例军团菌、1例肺炎支原体,痰培养检测到3例奇异变形杆菌。结论本实验室所开展的恒温扩增芯片法在重症监护病房肺部感染者下呼吸道病原体检测方面的优势体现在阳性率高、检测时间短,可为临床肺部感染诊断提供及时准确的参考依据。     

Vitamin D: its role in cancer prevention and treatment

Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, has been recognized for almost 100 years as being essential for bone health. Vitamin D provides an adequate amount of calcium and phosphorus for the normal development and mineralization of a healthy skeleton. Vitamin D made in the skin or ingested in the diet, however, is biologically inactive and requires obligate hydroxylations first in the liver to 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and then in the kidney to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D is the major circulating form of vitamin D that is the best indicator of vitamin D status. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D is the biologically active form of vitamin D. This lipid-soluble hormone interacts with its specific nuclear receptor in the intestine and bone to regulate calcium metabolism. It is now recognized that the vitamin D receptor is also present in most tissues and cells in the body. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, by interacting with its receptor in non-calcemic tissues, is able to elicit a wide variety of biologic responses. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D regulates cellular growth and influences the modulation of the immune system. There is compelling epidemiologic observations that suggest that living at higher latitudes is associated with increased risk of many common deadly cancers. Both prospective and retrospective studies help support the concept that it is vitamin D deficiency that is the driving force for increased risk of common cancers in people living at higher latitudes. Most tissues and cells not only have a vitamin D receptor, but also have the ability to make 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. It has been suggested that increasing vitamin D intake or sun exposure increases circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, which in turn, is metabolized to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) in prostate, colon, breast, etc. The local cellular production of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D acts in an autocrine fashion to regulate cell growth and decrease the risk of the cells becoming malignant. Therefore, measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D is important not only to monitor vitamin D status for bone health, but also for cancer prevention.     

Recent mass spectrometry-based proteomics for biomarker discovery in lung cancer,COPD, and asthma

Introduction: Lung cancer and related diseases have been one of the most common causes of deaths worldwide. Genomic-based biomarkers may hardly reflect the underlying dynamic molecular mechanism of functional protein interactions, which is the center of a disease. Recent developments in mass spectrometry (MS) have made it possible to analyze disease-relevant proteins expressed in clinical specimens by proteomic challenges.

Areas covered: To understand the molecular mechanisms of lung cancer and its subtypes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and others, great efforts have been taken to identify numerous relevant proteins by MS-based clinical proteomic approaches. Since lung cancer is a multifactorial disease that is biologically associated with asthma and COPD among various lung diseases, this study focused on proteomic studies on biomarker discovery using various clinical specimens for lung cancer, COPD, and asthma.

Expert commentary: MS-based exploratory proteomics utilizing clinical specimens, which can incorporate both experimental and bioinformatic analysis of protein-protein interaction and also can adopt proteogenomic approaches, makes it possible to reveal molecular networks that are relevant to a disease subgroup and that could differentiate between drug responders and non-responders, good and poor prognoses, drug resistance, and so on.     

Twice single doses of 100,000 IU of vitamin D in winter is adequate and safe for prevention of vitamin D deficiency in healthy children from Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina

In order to improve vitamin D status of children from Ushuaia (55°S), at the South of Argentina, double supplementation with 100.000 IU of vitamin D was administered at the beginning of winter (March 2004), and 3 months later during winter (June 2004). In 2004, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) was measured before the first supplementation, a month after, and 3 months after receiving the second supplementation (March, April and September). We studied 18 healthy children from Ushuaia, age (mean ± S.D.) 7.3 ± 4.4 years old (range 1.2–14.6), seven girls and 11 boys. Before treatment, serum 25OHD was 29.3 ± 5.9 ng/ml. It increased significantly 1 month after the first supplementation (April): 35.3 ± 4.4 ng/ml (p < 0.001), and decreased significantly 3 months after the second supplementation: 22.4 ± 4.6 ng/ml (September (p < 0.001). No child was neither deficient (<10 ng/ml) nor insufficient (10–15 ng/ml) of vitamin D. On April, a month after the first supplementation, no children had vitamin D intoxication levels (>50 ng/ml). These results disclosed that to prevent vitamin D deficiency for children at zones of risk at the south of our country, double supplementation of 100,000 IU of vitamin D during autumn and winter, would be adequate and safe.     

The vitamin D system in iguanian lizards

The apparent plasma concentration of vitamin D binding protein (DBP) in an iguanian lizard, Pogona barbata, and the affinity of this protein for 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ (25(OH)D₃), 25-hydroxyvitamin D₂ (25(OH)D₂), and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ (1,25(OH)D₃) was found to resemble more closely that of the domestic hen than that of the human. The characteristics of Pogona DBP, the pattern of vitamin D metabolites derived from injected radioactive vitamin D₃ and the plasma concentrations of endogenous 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in a range of iguanian lizards have been examined. The findings suggest that 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) is the major metabolite of vitamin D, and that it may represent the storage form of vitamin D in these species in the same way as in mammals. High concentrations of vitamin D within iguanian embryos and egg yolks suggest a role for this compound in embryogenesis in these species, and perhaps indicates that there is a mechanism for vitamin D delivery to eggs comparable to that found in the domestic chicken.     

儿童反复呼吸道感染与肠道微生态变化的相关性

目的研究儿童反复呼吸道感染与患儿肠道微生态平衡紊乱的关系。方法选择102例反复呼吸道感染患儿为研究组,167例急性肺炎患儿为肺炎对照组,142例健康体检儿童为正常对照组。采用16S rRNA荧光定量PCR检测3组对象肠道双歧杆菌及大肠埃希菌数量,计算B/E值,并比较3组研究对象细胞免疫功能。结果正常对照组、肺炎对照组以及研究组儿童肠道双歧杆菌数量依次降低,大肠埃希菌依次增多,B/E值依次降低,差异均有统计学意义(均P0.05)。正常对照组、肺炎对照组以及研究组儿童血液中CD3~+、CD4~+细胞水平以及CD4~+/CD8~+依次降低,CD8~+细胞水平依次增高,差异均有统计学意义(均P0.05)。结论儿童反复呼吸道感染与肠道微生态失衡具有一定相关性,肠道微生态稳态的维持可为反复呼吸道感染的防治提供新思路。     

Synthesis of vitamin D3 analogues with A-ring modifications to directly measure vitamin D levels in biological samples

C-3-substituted 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ analogues were synthesized as tools to directly measure levels of vitamin D in biological samples. The strategy involves vinyloxycarbonylation of the 3β-hydroxy group and formation of a carbamate bond with a hydroxyl or amino group at the end of the alkyl chain. Biotinylated conjugates of synthesized derivatives were generated to be linked with vitamin D binding protein (DBP). The spacer group present in the alkyl chain is important in the binding of antibodies to the analogue–DBP complex. When compared to 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃-DBP, the binding of some antibodies to the analogue–DBP complex of the 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ derivative 10 that posses an 8-aminoctyl alkyl chain is significantly reduced, but this analogue displaced [26,27-³H]-25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ from DBP. In contrast, the 8-hydroxyoctyl alkyl chain analogue 9 showed less displacement.     

Vitamin D and its role in immunology: multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease

Autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) occur because of an inappropriate immune-mediated attack against self-tissue. Analyses of genetically identical twins shows that besides genetics there are important environmental factors that contribute to MS and IBD development. Vitamin D availability due to sunshine exposure or diet may play a role in the development of MS and IBD. Compelling data in mice show that vitamin D and signaling through the vitamin D receptor dictate the outcome of experimental MS and IBD. Furthermore, the evidence points to the direct and indirect regulation of T cell development and function by vitamin D. In the absence of vitamin D and signals delivered through the vitamin D receptor, auto reactive T cells develop and in the presence of active vitamin D (1,25(OH)(2)D(3) ) and a functional vitamin D receptor the balance in the T cell response is restored and autoimmunity avoided.     

The evolutionary significance of vitamin D, skin pigment, and ultraviolet light.

Vitamin D is essential for normal growth, calcuim absorption, and skeletal development. Vitamin D deficiency can cause death, immobilization, or pelvic deformities which prevent normal childbirth. In the past these problems were extremely common in North America and Europe, and were only elminated by adding vitamin D to food. Prior to that, variations in available vitamin D affected health, survival and reproductive efficiency sufficiently to have evolutionary significance. Vitamin D is naturally present in few foods; most comes from the photo-conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol in skin. The limiting factor in this conversion is the availability of ultraviolet light less than310 nm. Seasonal and geographic variations in natural ultraviolet radiation cause parallel variations in blood vitamin D levels, intestinal calcuim absorption, and clinical vitamin D deficiency. These physiological variations can be abolished by exposure to comparable artificial ultraviolet radiation, or by dietary vitamin D supplements. Ultraviolet radiation less than310 nm is absorbed by skin pigment, but is also increases skin pigmentation. This has led to the hypothesis that skin pigment regulates skin vitamin D production. Little direct evidence exists to test this reasonable hypothesis, but necessary and sufficient conditions for establishing it can be outlined. Until this hypothesis is experimentally tested, it is impossible to evaluate the corollary hypothesis: that racial variations in the efficiency of cutaneous vitamin D production restricted the evolution of dark-skinned peoples to tropical latitudes and thereby caused the geographic distribution of the races.     

老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者肺部感染病原菌与肠道定植菌的关系

目的 探讨老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)患者肺部感染病原菌与肠道定植菌的关系,为后续研究提供参考。 方法 选择2018年7月至2019年7月我院呼吸内科收治的60例COPD患者作为研究对象,根据是否合并肺部感染将患者分为感染组(n=38)和未感染组(n=22)。收集患者痰和粪便标本进行细菌培养,比较两组患者痰和粪便细菌检出情况,并对痰培养及粪便培养结果进行直线相关回归分析。 结果 感染组患者痰标本中铜绿假单胞菌、肺炎克雷伯菌、鲍曼不动杆菌及大肠埃希菌检出率高于未感染组(均P结论 老年COPD合并肺部感染患者病原菌与肠道定植菌具有一定相关性,临床治疗中应重视COPD患者肠道微生态平衡以降低肺部感染发生率。     

Circulating vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in humans: An important tool to define adequate nutritional vitamin D status

Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] is generally considered the means by which we define nutritional vitamin D status. There is much debate, however, with respect to what a healthy minimum level of circulation 25(OH)D should be. Recent data using various biomarkers such as intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), intestinal calcium absorption, and skeletal density measurements suggest this minimum level to be 80 nmol (32 ng/mL). Surprisingly, the relationship between circulating vitamin D₃ and its metabolic product—25(OH)D₃ has not been studied. We investigated this relationship in two separate populations: the first, individuals from Hawaii who received significant sun exposure; the second, subjects from a lactation study who received up to 6400 IU vitamin D₃/day for 6 months.Results (1) the relationship between circulating vitamin D₃ and 25(OH)D in both groups was not linear, but appeared saturable and controlled; (2) optimal nutritional vitamin D status appeared to occur when molar ratios of circulating vitamin D₃ and 25(OH)D exceeded 0.3; at this point, the V_max of the 25-hydroxylase appeared to be achieved. This was achieved when circulating 25(OH)D exceeded 100 nmol.We hypothesize that as humans live today, the 25-hydroxylase operates well below its V_max because of chronic substrate deficiency, namely vitamin D₃. When humans are sun (or dietary) replete, the vitamin D endocrine system will function in a fashion as do these other steroid synthetic pathways, not limited by substrate. Thus, the relationship between circulating vitamin D and 25(OH)D may represent what “normal” vitamin D status should be.     

Infectious exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease associated with respiratory viruses and non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae

Infectious exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been reported to occur with both viral and bacterial pathogens. In this study, 35 exacerbations associated with the isolation of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae from sputum were identified as part of a prospective longitudinal study. Samples from these patients were subjected to immunoassays to identify a new immune response to the homologous isolate of non-typeable H. influenzae to more accurately assess a bacterial etiology. These patients also were studied carefully for evidence of viral infection using viral culture, serology and polymerase chain reaction-based assays. Sixteen of 35 exacerbations (45.7%) were associated with evidence of acute viral infection and 11 of the 35 exacerbations (31.4%) were associated with the development of new serum IgG to homologous non-typeable H. influenzae. Overall, evidence of infection with a respiratory virus or non-typeable H. influenzae was seen in 24 of 35 exacerbations (68.6%). No association between viral infection and immune response to non-typeable H. influenzae was observed, although a trend toward an immune response to non-typeable H. influenzae and absence of viral infection was seen. The results show that exacerbations in adults with COPD were associated with infection caused by virus alone, non-typeable H. influenzae alone, or virus and non-typeable H. influenzae simultaneously.     

407例老年肺癌下呼吸道感染患者病原菌分布及耐药分析

目的 分析老年肺癌下呼吸道感染患者痰培养物的病原菌分布及耐药状况.方法 回顾性分析407例老年肺癌下呼吸道感染患者痰标本细菌培养、鉴定及药敏结果.结果 共分离出病原菌238株,革兰阴性菌163株,占68.49％;革兰阳性菌33株,占13.87％;真菌42株,占17.65％.主要病原菌为肺炎克雷伯菌、大肠埃希菌、铜绿假单胞菌、鲍曼不动杆菌、表皮葡萄球菌和金黄色葡萄球菌.其中,肺炎克雷伯菌和大肠埃希菌ESBLs阳性菌株的比例分别为36.73％、28.85％.结论 老年肺癌患者因长期使用抗生素,呼吸道菌群失调,不同病原菌对抗菌药耐药率均较高,以革兰阴性菌感染为主,肺炎克雷伯菌和大肠埃希菌产ESBLs的菌株有较高比例,二重感染比例较高;革兰阳性菌均对万古霉素敏感,未发现耐药菌株.因此临床医生根据药敏结果合理选用抗生素,对于改善患者肺部微生态失衡,延长生存时间具有重要指导意义.     

Assessment of evidence for a protective role of vitamin D in multiple sclerosis

Evidence for a role of vitamin D insufficiency in determining risk in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is supported by studies in both pediatric- and adult-onset patients. The potential role of vitamin D in modulating MS disease activity is an area of active clinical trials research, and the possibility of primary disease prevention with vitamin D supplementation in early life is an emerging concept. With Sir Austin Bradford Hill's criteria as a framework, the present review assesses the evidence for a causal relationship between vitamin D insufficiency and the pathobiology of MS, and discusses rationale for future clinical trials with vitamin D.