Vitamin D deficiency predicts severe acute pancreatitis. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Vitamin D deficiency predicts severe acute pancreatitis.
United European Gastroenterol J. 2019 Feb ;7(1):90-95. Epub 2018 Oct 26. PMID: 30788120
Ji Hye Huh
Background: The ability to predict the severity of disease is important to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP). Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with severity in various diseases.
Objective: This study was conducted to assess vitamin D as a predictor of disease severity in patients with AP.
Methods: Patients with AP were prospectively enrolled at Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine from March 2015 to September 2017. Serum vitamin D was analyzed as soon as AP was diagnosed. The level of vitamin D was classified as normal (>20 ng/ml), insufficient (>10 and≤20 ng/ml) or deficient (≤10 ng/ml).
Results: Among 242 patients with AP, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 56.2%, and 28.5% of patients had vitamin D insufficiency. Serum vitamin D level was negatively correlated with severity indexes, such as the Atlanta classification, Computed Tomography Severity Index, Bedside Index for Severity of Acute Pancreatitis, and Ranson score. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency increased with severity of AP according to the Atlanta classification. Vitamin D deficiency was the independent factor for predicting severe AP (OR 5.37, 95% CI 1.13-25.57, = 0.015) and intensive care unit admission (OR 3.09, 95% CI 1.24-7.69, = 0.035).
Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased severity of AP and is a predictor for intensive care unit admission.