Vitamin D deficiency associated with lung transplant rejection
October 19th, 2010 - 4:49 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Oct 19 (ANI): A research conducted at Loyola University Health System (LUHS) has revealed that vitamin D deficiency is associated with a significant increase in lung transplant rejection.
“Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among lung transplant recipients,” said Pauline Camacho, MD, study investigator and director of the Loyola University Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease Center.
“This study shed greater light on the serious impact that this deficiency has on lung transplant patients,” he said.
Patients who undergo lung transplants are at risk for rejecting the organ, and 77 percent of these patients are vitamin D deficient.
Researchers believe that vitamin D helps the immune system tolerate the organ. Thus optimal levels of this supplement are critical for positive outcomes.
This study evaluated 122 patients who underwent a lung transplant at Loyola between January 2005 and June 2008. Sixty-four patients were male and 58 were female with an average age of 49.2 years.
Vitamin D levels were checked following the transplants. Of the 122 patients, 50 percent were vitamin D deficient, 18 percent were not deficient and 32 percent were unknown.
Vitamin D deficiency was associated with a significant increase in rejection for 51.7 percent of patients during the first year following transplant. Vitamin D deficiency also showed a trend toward increased airway inflammation in 16.7 percent of patients.
The health benefits of vitamin D are widespread and range from warding off cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes and depression.
Researchers speculate that vitamin D also may improve the health of lung transplant patients. Further studies will evaluate the effect of vitamin D therapy on short- and long-term lung transplant rejection rates, lung function and long-term survival.
These data were presented Monday at The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research 2010 annual meeting in Toronto, Ontario. (ANI)
- Lack of vitamin D 'puts IBD patients at greater risk of osteoporosis' - Oct 19, 2010
- Vitamin D deficiency linked to reduced lung function - Feb 01, 2011
- Vitamin D deficiency alters lung structure and function - Jan 29, 2011
- Vitamin D deficiencies linked to onset of autoimmune lung disease - Jan 04, 2011
- Cancer drugs not the only cause of bone loss among survivors - Nov 20, 2008
- Majority of obese teens are vitamin D deficient - Apr 28, 2011
- Oral steroids bring on vitamin D deficiency - Sep 30, 2011
- Obese adolescents benefit from high-dose vitamin D - Nov 02, 2011
- Vit D insufficiency high in patients with early Parkinson disease - Mar 15, 2011
- Heart, bone damage from low vitamin D levels amplified by estrogen shortage - Nov 16, 2009
- Vitamin D2 effectively treats vitamin D deficiency - Oct 27, 2009
- Weight loss increases Vitamin D in obese women - May 26, 2011
- Study shows reduced Vitamin D absorption in Crohn's disease patients - Jan 19, 2011
- Gene combinations linked to hip osteoporosis in postmenopausal women - Mar 30, 2011
- Kids with celiac disease should go for vitamins to stave off bone disease: Study - Jul 23, 2010
Tags: airway inflammation, american society for bone and mineral research, benefits of vitamin d, camacho, disease diabetes, further studies, loyola university health, loyola university health system, loyola university health system luhs, lung function, lung transplant patients, lung transplant recipients, lung transplants, metabolic bone disease, optimal levels, rejection rates, term survival, transplant rejection, university health system, vitamin d deficiency