The role of vitamin D in the prevention of infectious lung diseases


DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/therapy.2024.10.27-32

Luchnikova T.A., Prikhodko O.B., Voitsekhovsky V.V.

Amur State Medical Academy of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russia, Blagoveshchensk
Abstract. Vitamin D could be considered to be the most famous vitamin of the 21st century due to the sharp increase in the number of scientific studies that have revealed its diverse and significant functions in the body. However, the benefit-risk ratio of increasing vitamin D intake, advisability of its additional intake, and the role of testing for 25(OH)D in preventing the development of diseases is remaining uncertain.
The aim: to determine the role of vitamin D (25(OH)D) in the prevention of infectious lung diseases (of viral and bacterial etiology).
Material and methods. The study included 150 patients with viral and bacterial lung diseases from moderate to severe clinical course aged 18 to 75 years. All participants underwent standard examination according to existing recommendations. Serum vitamin D levels were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Competitive enzyme immunoassay was used to determine the concentration of cathelicidin LL-37 in blood serum.
Results. Among all patients, 49.4% (n = 74) had viral pneumonia and 50.6% (n = 76) had bacterial pneumonia. 25(OH)D level was significantly lower in patients with positive cultures comparatively to those with negative results (p = 0.0023). The detected correlation between LL-37 and vitamin D indicates that patients with vitamin D deficiency have reduced antimicrobial activity of the immune system, which leads to a more severe course of bacterial infection. Concentration of cathelicidin in moderate bacterial infection was 3.84 [0.45; 5.53] nmol/ml. In patients with severe infectious process of bacterial etiology and subsequent recovery, this index was 5.64 [3.5; 7.21] nmol/ml (p < 0.01), which indicates the involvement of a wider range of proinflammatory cells in the process, increasing the synthesis of LL-37.
Conclusion. Our study has found that vitamin D deficiency in the blood affects the innate immune response, in particular, cathelicidin synthesis. This, in turn, causes the development of more severe forms of pneumonia and increases the probability of adverse outcomes, including lethal ones.
Keywords: cathelicidin, vitamin D, pneumonia
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About the Autors

Tatyana A. Luchnikova, MD, PhD (Medicine), associate professor of the Department of hospital therapy with a course in pharmacology, Amur State Medical Academy of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russia. Address: 675000, Blagoveshchensk, 95 Gorkogo St.
E-mail: tanechkaluch89@mail.ru
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8319-9291
Olga B. Prikhodko, MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), professor of the Department of hospital therapy with a course in pharmacology, Amur State Medical Academy of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russia. Address: 675000, Blagoveshchensk, 95 Gorkogo St.
E-mail: prik0806@mail.ru
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9846-1574
Valery V. Voitsekhovsky, MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), associate professor, head of the Department of hospital therapy with a course in pharmacology, Amur State Medical Academy of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russia. Address: 675000, Blagoveshchensk, 95 Gorkogo St.
E-mail: voitsehovsckij@yandex.ru
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9617-2733


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