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Link between community-acquired pneumonia and vitamin D levels in older patients

Zusammenhang zwischen ambulant erworbener Pneumonie und Vitamin-D-Spiegel bei älteren Patienten

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the correlation between the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25-(OH)D] and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in elderly patients.

Methods

A total of 163 older patients were chosen from those hospitalized between October 2011 and October 2012. Patients were divided into pneumonia and non-pneumonia groups, and the concentrations of 25-(OH)D (nmol/L) in serum were measured. Clinical data were then compared between the two groups and pneumonia-related risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression.

Results

Among the 163 older hospitalized patients, 49 suffered from pneumonia. Levels of 25-(OH)D, total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were lower (P < 0.05) in the pneumonia group, while severe vitamin D (VitD) deficiency was higher in the pneumonia group (71.4 vs. 19.3%; P < 0.0001). Age and number of hospitalization days were higher in the pneumonia group (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that age and VitD levels were independent risk factors for pneumonia. No significant difference was observed in terms of gender, onset season, body mass index, or smoking and drinking history between the two groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

The older patients with CAP had a severe VitD deficiency, indicating that low levels of VitD might play an important role in the occurrence and development of CAP.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel

Ziel war es, die Korrelation zwischen dem Wert für 25-Hydroxyvitamin D [25-(OH)D] und ambulant erworbener Pneumonie bei älteren Patienten zu untersuchen.

Methoden

Zwischen Oktober 2011 und Oktober 2012 wurden insgesamt 163 ältere Patienten aus den stationär behandelten Patienten ausgewählt. Die Patienten wurden in eine Pneumoniegruppe und eine Gruppe ohne Pneumonie eingeteilt und die Konzentration von 25-(OH)D (nmol/l) im Serum gemessen. Dann wurden die klinischen Daten zwischen den beiden Gruppen und die pneumoniebezogenen Risikofaktoren unter Einsatz der logistischen Regressionsanalyse ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse

Von den 163 älteren stationär behandelten Patienten litten 49 an einer Pneumonie. Die Werte für 25-(OH)D, Gesamtcholesterin und Low-Density-Lipoprotein-Cholesterin waren in der Pneumoniegruppe niedriger (p < 0,05), während ein schwerer Vitamin-D-Mangel dort häufiger auftrat als in der anderen Gruppe (71,4 vs. 19,3 %; p < 0,0001). Alter und Anzahl der Krankenhaustage waren in der Pneumoniegruppe höher als in der Gruppe ohne Pneumonie (p < 0,05). Die multivariate logistische Regression zeigte, dass Alter und Vitamin-D-Werte unabhängige Risikofaktoren für eine Pneumonie darstellten. Es wurde kein signifikanter Unterschied in Bezug auf Geschlecht, Jahreszeit bei Krankheitsbeginn, Body-Mass-Index oder Raucher- und Alkoholanamnese zwischen den beiden Gruppen festgestellt (p > 0,05).

Schlussfolgerung

Die älteren Patienten mit ambulant erworbener Pneumonie wiesen einen schweren Vitamin-D-Mangel auf, was darauf hinweist, dass niedrige Vitamin-D-Spiegel eine wichtige Rolle bei dem Auftreten und der Entstehung einer ambulant erworbenen Pneumonie spielen könnten.

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Correspondence to Fuzai Yin.

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D. Lu, J. Zhang, C. Ma, Y. Yue, Z. Zou, C. Yu, and F. Yin declare that they have no competing interests.

The experiments comply with the current laws of China.

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Lu, D., Zhang, J., Ma, C. et al. Link between community-acquired pneumonia and vitamin D levels in older patients. Z Gerontol Geriat 51, 435–439 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-017-1237-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-017-1237-z

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