Impact of Vitamin D in the improvement of respiratory function in sickle cell disease adult patients

Abstract

The study aimed to discover the role of vitamin D in improving the respiratory function in sickle cell disease patients. In this prospective study, 188 adults were enrolled, drawn from the out-patients unit of Thalassemia Center. The collected data were categorized into three groups: group 1 included the data of 100 healthy individuals of age range of 18-50 years as control; group 2 included the data of 88 (40 males and 48 females) sickle cell disease patients in steady state before supplementation of vitamin D; group 3 represented the data of the same 88 sickle cell disease patients as measured and recorded after 6 weeks of vitamin D supplementation. Laboratory measurements including pulmonary function tests and hematological parameters, while vitamin D levels were estimated for all groups to compare the data before and after supplementation of vitamin We found significant differences in the pulmonary function tests when comparing groups. Mean value of FEV1 revealed significant differences between group 1 and 2 (p >0.05), while vitamin D supplement created a significant difference between group 2 and 3 (p >0.05). The improvement in FEV1 did not reach to that of healthy (group 1), as referred by the significant variation between group 1 and group 3 (p>0.05). The same findings were indicative within most pulmonary function tests, and the percentages of combined cases (restrictive and obstructive) were also deceased in group 3. Conclusion: supplement of vitamin D in SCD patients could result in relative improvement in lung function.