Goede
bloedwaarden vitamine D tegen bacteriële infectie*
Goede bloedwaarden vitamine D blijken belangrijk te zijn in het voorkomen en bestrijden van een bacteriële infectie blijkt uit een kleine Amerikaanse studie onder 83 patiënten. Deze patiënten waren opgenomen in het ziekenhuis en hadden een overmatige groei van de staafbacterie clostridium difficile. Ze werden dertig dagen lang gevolgd. (Clostridium difficile is een gram-positieve anaerobe sporevormende staafbacterie die veel voorkomt in de darmen maar daar doorgaans geen problemen veroorzaakt. Door verstoring van de darmflora door bijv. antibiotica kan overmatige groei optreden waardoor diarree al dan niet met complicaties zoals darmontstekingen kunnen ontstaan.) 45% van de patiënten had normale bloedwaarden vitamine D en bij 53% van hen verdween de bacteriële infectie volledig. Bij patiënten met te lage bloedwaarden vitamine D gebeurde dit slechts bij 26% van hen.
Higher
Resolution Rate of Clostridia Difficile Enteritis in Hospitalized Patients with
Normal Vitamin D Levels
A new study shows that patients with low vitamin
D
levels who develop Clostridia difficile (C. diff) have a higher recurrence rate
and possibly higher hospital mortality. C. diff is a bacterium that causes
diarrhea and more serious intestinal conditions such as colitis, and often
occurs after taking antibiotics.
Previous studies have shown that normal levels of vitamin D are associated with
improved outcomes in hospitalized patients, and conversely, low levels of
vitamin D have been associated with higher mortality rate in hospitalized
patients. Investigators at New York Hospital Queens-Weill Cornell Medical
College, led by Moshe Rubin, MD, director of gastroenterology, sought to
determine whether vitamin D levels are associated with a persons' ability to
resolve their infection.
Researchers tracked 83 patients who had been admitted to the hospital who were
then diagnosed with C. diff. They measured vitamin D levels in all of the
patients, then followed their hospital course. Researchers noted how many
patients were still alive after 30 days, and compared the outcome of patients
with normal vitamin D levels to those with low levels. They found that up to 40
percent of people, especially in an older age group with multiple illnesses,
died from some cause if they developed C. diff during that hospitalization.
Furthermore, while they may not die from C. diff, Dr. Rubin said it definitely
adds a major complication that contributes to high mortality.
Researchers found that those with normal levels of vitamin D had a higher
resolution rate, and a lower recurrence rate than those with low vitamin D
levels. These findings are consistent with what is currently understood about
vitamin D - it plays a role in immune function, may be an important factor in
fighting infection, low levels seem to be a marker for not resolving diseases in
general and it is associated with higher mortality rates.
Sixty-two patients were tracked for 30 days; 45 percent had normal vitamin D
levels while 55 percent had low vitamin D levels. In the normal vitamin D group,
they found 53 percent remained disease-free for 30 days, but in the group with
low vitamin D levels, only 26 percent resolved their C. diff infections. Dr.
Rubin noted that since this study was observational, it does not prove a cause
and effect relationship between vitamin D levels and recurrence of C. diff, but
it does identify an association.
Dr. Rubin said that since the study sample was relatively small, it should be
repeated with a larger patient population to corroborate the data.
"We're starting to understand the importance of vitamin D in relation to
overall health and to particular infections, like C. diff," said Dr. Rubin.
"It's important to pay attention to nutritional issues and possibly even
supplement vitamin D in patients with low levels to help fight serious
infections." (Juli 2010)
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