The Potential Role of Vitamin D in the Development of Tuberculosis in Chinese Han Population: One Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background and aims: Spinal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25[OH]D] status plays an important role in mediating innate immune responses by acting as a cofactor for induction of antimycobacterial activity and is thus involved in the development of Tuberculosis (TB). Results reported regarding the association of vitamin D with TB remained controversial. We aimed to identify any common association between 25[OH]D status and TB in the Chinese Han population.

Methods: 280 subjects (70 TB patients and 210 matched controls) were recruited. TB cases were diagnosed based on the presence of acid-fast bacilli on smears from sputum and MTB isolation. Healthy controls were randomly selected from four local community-based populations. 25[OH]D was detected by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) on Roche Elecsys before the initial treatment. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association of Vitamin D with TB.

Results: There was no significant difference in the serum vitamin D level between total cases and controls, but we found a strong tendency toward a higher serum vitamin D level in male population (P < 0.05) with TB but not in females. High serum vitamin D increased the risk of TB in the Chinese Han population (OR = 1.035, 95%CI: 1.001-1.070, P < 0.05). The serum vitamin D level was significantly decreased with age increasing in cases and controls (all P < 0.001).

Conclusions: High serum vitamin D may be an independent risk factor for TB in the Chinese Han population.

Keywords: Han population; matched case-control study; pulmonary tuberculosis; role; vitamin D.

Figure 1

Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in cases and controls in the total (A), male (B), and female (C). Chi-square tests were used to compare the differences in the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency between cases and controls. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency between cases and controls in the total, male, and female (all P > 0.05). Vitamin D groups: vitamin D insufficiency (50–75nmol/L); vitamin D sufficiency (>75nmol/L).