Akhter Baig, Nayyerul Islam, Umairul Islam.
Low serum vitamin D associated with tuberculosis.
J Pak Orthop Assoc Jan ;21(1):27-32.

Objective: The study was undertaken to examine serum vitamin D concentrations in patients with active TB and their controls from the same ethnic and social background and to investigate the relative contributions of vitamin D in diet and sunlight exposure in tuberculosis. Methods: Study was prospective and case control type. The study conducted on 49 patients of proved tuberculosis. The study was multi-centric and started from January 2005 to Dec 2007. The study based upon the comparison of serum vitamin D and calcium of proved tuberculous patients with their controls. For the collection of serum calcium the blood sample collection was done without application of tourniquet. Patients labeled tuberculous if they were sputum positive, or their biopsy showed typical tuberculous granuloma or bacteriological examination able to detect the tuberculous bacteria. Results: Total number of tuberculous patients were 49, with 25 female and 16 male. Majority of patients belonged to reproductive age. Around 38 (77.6%) of patients, the diagnosis was on biopsy. Sputum was positive in 10 (20.4%) patients. 1 (2%) patients was diagnosed on culture. Lesion was located in Musculoskeletal system in 19 (38.8%), Intestine in 17 (34.7%) and pulmonary in 9 (18.4%) cases. P value for vitamin D and Calcium level was <.001 in Chi-Square test and T test. The value of Odds Ratio for vitamin D and calcium were 19 and 18 respectively. Conclusions: We conclude that the patients of tuberculosis were having serum vitamin D and calcium significantly low in comparison to their controls in our set up. An interventional study may take into consideration before drawing definitive conclusion regarding relationship with vitamin D.

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