Is vitamin D deficiency associated with development of Acinetobacter baumannii infections in critically ill patients?

• Published in: Journal of critical care 2013-10, Vol.28 (5), p.735-740
• Main Authors: Türkoğlu, Melda, MD, Aygencel, Gülbin, Dizbay, Murat, Tuncel, Ayşe Fitnat, Arslan Candır, Burcu, Deligöz Bildacı, Yelda, Paşaoğlu, Hatice
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acinetobacter baumannii; Acinetobacter baumannii - isolation & purification; Acinetobacter Infections - etiology; Acinetobacter Infections - microbiology; Aged; Critical Care; Critical Illness; Critically ill; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - microbiology; Female; Humans; Infection; Male; Middle Aged; Mortality; Nosocomial infections; Nutrition; Older people; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Severity of Illness Index; Turkey - epidemiology; Vitamin D; Vitamin D deficiency; Vitamin D Deficiency - complications; Vitamin D Deficiency - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0883-9441; 1557-8615
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2013.03.017

Abstract Purpose A growing number of evidence demonstrates deficiency of vitamin D in critically ill patients. We aimed to evaluate the vitamin D status of our critically ill patients and its relevance to infections in these patients. Material and Methods We conducted a prospective observational study in 201 critically ill patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit of Gazi University Hospital between October 2009 through March 2011. Results Sixty-nine percent of the patients were found to be vitamin D deficient. Infection rate was higher in the deficient group, though without statistical significance ( P = .117). Infections with Acinetobacter baumannii was significantly more frequent in patients with Vitamin D deficiency (25% vs 10%, P = .012). The median level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels was 11.8 [6.3-17.2] ng/mL and 15.7 [8.1-28.9] ng/mL in patients with and without A baumannii infections respectively ( P = .024). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that vitamin D deficiency ( P = .042) and invasive mechanical ventilation ( P = .001) were the 2 independent risk factors in the development of A baumannii infections, in addition. Conclusions Vitamin D deficiency is common in critically ill patients. Even though there was no statistical difference between vitamin D deficient and sufficient patients regarding development of infections in general, A baumannii infections were significantly more frequent in the deficient group. Vitamin D deficiency was found as one of the independent risk factors for A baumannii infections. Further multicenter studies with a larger sample size are required to validate our data.