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Observational Study
. 2024 Oct 25:37:13313.
doi: 10.3389/ti.2024.13313. eCollection 2024.

Post-Transplant Vitamin D Deficiency in Lung Transplant Recipients: Impact on Outcomes and Prognosis

Min Seo Ki  1   2 , Nam Eun Kim  3 , Ala Woo  1 , Song Yee Kim  1 , Young Sam Kim  1 , Ha Eun Kim  4 , Jin Gu Lee  4 , Hyo Chae Paik  4   5 , Moo Suk Park  1
Affiliations
Observational Study

Post-Transplant Vitamin D Deficiency in Lung Transplant Recipients: Impact on Outcomes and Prognosis

Min Seo Ki et al. Transpl Int. .

Abstract

Despite the recognized clinical significance of vitamin D deficiency in other solid organ transplant recipients, its specific relevance in lung transplantation remains to be fully understood. In this study, we performed a retrospective observational study on the impact of vitamin D deficiency on clinical outcomes and prognosis in 125 lung transplant recipients (LTRs) from October 2014 to March 2020 at a university hospital in Seoul, South Korea. Among 125 LTRs, 51 patients (40.8%) were vitamin D deficient. LTRs in the vitamin D-deficient group exhibited a higher incidence of post-transplant pneumonia and overall mortality than those with normal vitamin D levels during the follow-up period. This trend persisted when subjects were stratified into vitamin D tertiles. Furthermore, post-transplant vitamin D levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) significantly impacted pneumonia incidence and survival outcomes. Prognosis also varied based on cumulative vitamin D supplementation after transplantation, with patients receiving higher cumulative supplementation demonstrating improved prognosis. Our findings underscore the importance of assessing and maintaining optimal vitamin D levels post-transplantation, suggesting a potential avenue for improving outcomes in lung transplant recipients, especially in mitigating infection risk and enhancing long-term survival. Further research into optimal vitamin D levels and supplementation strategies in this population is warranted.

Keywords: lung transplantation; pneumonia; prognosis; survival; vitamin D deficiency.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Flowchart of the study participants. LTx, lung transplantation; 25(OH)D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Kaplan-Meier survival curves for lung transplant recipients: (A) by post-transplant vitamin D status and (B) stratified by Vitamin D tertiles.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the occurrence of post-transplant pneumonia.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Kaplan-Meier survival curves for lung transplant recipients by vitamin D supplementation tertiles.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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