ASSESSMENT OF SERUM VITAMIN D LEVEL IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS CASES IN A TERTIARY CARE GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL OF EASTERN INDIA.

Background: Active form of Vitamin D [1,25 (OH)2 D]has been shown to inhibit the growth of mycobacterium tuberculosis by stimulating the cell mediated immunity and activating monocytes. Reduction in circulating 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels have been associated with onset of active T.B. Objectives: Estimating the serum level of 25(OH) vitamin D in approximately 50 patients of newly diagnosed pulmonary T.B. and to establish the proportion of individuals with sufficient, insufficient and deficient vitamin D status among these patients. Materials: Consecutive newly diagnosed pulmonary T.B. patients attending the Respiratory and General Medicine Departments of R.G. Kar Medical College, Kolkata, during the period of January to December 2013, were enlisted following the inclusion-exclusion criteria and grouped as vitamin D “sufficiency” when >30ng/ml, “insufficiency” if >20ng/ml but <30ng/ml, “deficiency” when <20ng/ml. Results: The mean serum vitamin D level was found to be 16.93ng/ml [SD = 9.5], ranging from 5.8ng/ml to 58.4ng/ml. Among the patients only 3(6%) patients had a sufficient vitamin D level, 38(76%) were deficient, 9(18%) had insufficient. The mean serum Vitamin-D level in Hindu patients was 19.21ng/ml, whereas it was 12.49ng/ml in Muslim patients, statistically significant (p= 0.04). The mean serum Vitamin D level in male patients was 19.37ng/ml whereas it was 14.68ng/ml in females, statistically significant (p= 0.05). Vitamin D in Hindu-females was 17.84ng/ml; whereas it was 10.36ng/ml in Muslim-females, which was significant (p= 0.002). Conclusion: Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in newly diagnosed patients of pulmonary TB is quite high. This study has found a definite relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and Tuberculosis.