Vitamin D has been recommended for Cystic Fibrosis – a small dose helps a little

Increasing Vitamin D Serum Levels Is Associated with Reduced Pulmonary Exacerbations in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis.

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2018 Aug 8. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000002126.

Abu-Fraiha Y1, Elyashar-Earon H, Shoseyov D, Cohen-Cymberknoh M, Armoni S, Kerem E, Wilschanski M.

CF Center, Hadassah-University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.

CONTEXT: In 2012, The North American CF Foundation published new guidelines for the treatment of vitamin D deficiency in individuals with CF.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of our study were to assess the efficacy of these guidelines, and to test the effect of increasing vitamin D dosage on pulmonary function and exacerbations.

DESIGN:

Pulmonary function tests and serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] were measured one year prior to increasing vitamin D dosage according to the guidelines and at least one year later. In addition, days of hospitalization (DOH) and pulmonary exacerbations (PE) were counted and an average per year (DOHA and PEA, respectively) was calculated.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 90 patients from The CF Clinic at Hadassah Mount-Scopus Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.

RESULTS:

The mean serum concentration of vitamin D increased significantly from 20.97 ng/ml (52.34 nmol/L) at baseline to 25.41 ng/ml (63.42 nmol/L) at the end of follow-up (p < 0.001). The number of PEA decreased significantly from 2.79 ± 3.96 to 2.15 ± 2.91 (p = 0.007). The change in vitamin D levels was correlated with a decrease in PEA (correlation coefficient = -0.318, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS:

The NACFF guidelines for management of vitamin D deficiency improve vitamin D levels in patients with CF but did not reach the normal values in most patients. However, the increase in vitamin D serum levels was associated with a decrease in number of pulmonary exacerbations.