Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Dec 4:14:661.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-014-0661-6.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with community-acquired clostridium difficile infection: a case-control study

Tanya Sahay, Ashwin N Ananthakrishnan  1
Affiliations

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with community-acquired clostridium difficile infection: a case-control study

Tanya Sahay et al. BMC Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is increasingly recognized as an important community acquired pathogen causing disease (CA-CDI). Vitamin D [25(OH)D] has immune modulatory effects and plays an important role in intestinal immunity. The role of vitamin D in CA-CDI has not been examined previously.

Methods: This was a single referral center case-control study. Cases comprised of all patients with CA-CDI who had a serum 25(OH)D measured within 12 months prior to infection. Controls were drawn from patients who had 25(OH)D checked and matched based on age, gender, race and health status. Serum 25(OH)D was stratified as < 15 ng/mL, 15-30 ng/mL or > 30 ng/mL. Regression models adjusting for potential confounders were used to define independent association between vitamin D and CA-CDI.

Results: We identified 58 matched case-control pairs (66% women; 85% Caucasian). The mean age was 62 years. The mean serum 25(OH)D level was significantly lower in CA-CDI cases compared to controls (28.5 ng/mL vs. 33.8 ng/mL, p = 0.046). Cases had higher rate of antibiotic exposure and more comorbidity. Serum 25(OH)D < 15 ng/mL was associated with an increased risk of CA-CDI on univariate (Odds ratio (OR) 5.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.51 - 17.24) and multivariate analysis (OR 3.84, 95% CI 1.10 - 13.42). Vitamin D levels between 15-30 ng/mL did not modify disease risk.

Conclusions: Low serum 25(OH)D < 15 ng/mL was associated with increased risk of CA-CDI. This suggests vitamin D may have a role in determining susceptibility to CA-CDI.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Ananthakrishnan AN. Clostridium difficile infection: epidemiology, risk factors and management. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2011;8(1):17–26. doi: 10.1038/nrgastro.2010.190. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Deneve C, Janoir C, Poilane I, Fantinato C, Collignon A. New trends in Clostridium difficile virulence and pathogenesis. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2009;33(Suppl 1):S24–S28. doi: 10.1016/S0924-8579(09)70012-3. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Gerding DN. Clostridium difficile 30 years on: what has, or has not, changed and why? Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2009;33(Suppl 1):S2–S8. doi: 10.1016/S0924-8579(09)70008-1. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Johnson S. Recurrent Clostridium difficile infection: a review of risk factors, treatments, and outcomes. J Infect. 2009;58(6):403–410. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2009.03.010. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Kelly CP: A 76-year-old man with recurrent Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea: review of C. difficile infection. Jama 2009, 301(9):954–962. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms