Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Prospective Cross-sectional Study

The current cross-sectional study examined the extent of vitamin D (Vit-D) deficiency among pulmonary tuberculosis (TB)-affected patients and explored the potential associations of demographic factors with Vit-D status.

Conducted from 1^st August 2014, to 1^st February 2016, at a tertiary care center, the study included patients aged 18-60 years. Ethical approval was obtained, and exclusion criteria such as category II or multidrug-resistant TB, secondary immunodeficiency states, and extrapulmonary TB were applied. Clinical and laboratory data, including Vit-D levels, were collected. Statistical studies employed ANOVA, Chi-squared tests, and one-sample t-tests.

Among the 72 patients with TB, the majority were aged 50 years and above, with male preponderance (62%). Fifty-two (75%) TB patients had Vit-D deficiency, with an average Vit-D level of 16.68 ng/mL. The prevalence of Vit-D deficiency was significantly higher in women compared to men (92.6 vs 64.4%; p = 0.026). All patients with bilateral lung lesions had Vit-D deficiency compared to 59.3% in unilateral lung lesion patients (p = 0.002). Sputum microscopy and culture contributed to 65.28% of TB diagnoses. Vit-D deficiency prevalence was 75%, with an average Vit-D level of 16.68 ng/mL.

The study highlights gender- and lesion-associated vulnerabilities to Vit-D deficiency among pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Despite limitations, the findings suggest the need for Vit-D screening in TB care and further clinical trials to explore the role of Vit-D levels in management.