Serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 Levels in Patients with Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Abstract

Vitamin D regulates calcium homeostasis and as such affects the production of proinflammatory and antiinflammatory mediators. We conducted retrospective analyses to investigate the association between serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 levels and upper respiratory diseases in Japanese patients with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (n=34), non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (n=11), chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (n=31), and allergic rhinitis (n=7), plus six control subjects without inflammatory disease. We measured the subjects’ serum levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and immunoglobulin E and total eosinophil counts in the peripheral blood. Compared to the controls, the serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 levels were significantly higher in the patients with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis, non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, or chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps. No significant difference was detected between the patients with allergic rhinitis and the controls. In the patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, there was no significant correlation between the serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 levels and other clinical parameters. We conclude that the serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 levels are elevated in Japanese individuals with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, and that vitamin D may be a viable therapeutic target for managing chronic rhinosinusitis.