Vitamin D deficiency linked to severity of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposi, claims research

A new study published in the Ear, Nose and Throat Journal found that the severity of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis is influenced by serum vitamin D levels. A persistent infection of the sinonasal mucosa lasting 12 weeks or more, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) is characterized by certain symptoms and clinical indicators. This illness significantly impairs quality of life and interferes with everyday tasks.

The involvement of Vitamin D in the development of allergy disorders, such as CRSwNP, has garnered a lot of interest lately. As it influences both the innate and adaptive immune systems by altering the T-helper 1 (Th1)/Th17 response to a Th2/Treg less inflammatory profile, vitamin D has been demonstrated to have immunomodulatory effects and is crucial for the regulation of multiple immune cells, including T cells and dendritic cells, as well as for lowering inflammation through a variety of mechanisms. Thus, this study was to look into the connection between the severity of CRSwNP and serum vitamin D levels.

Serum vitamin D levels were assessed in 104 individuals with uncontrolled CRSwNP who were scheduled for functional endoscopic sinus surgery after failing all forms of medication treatment. The Lund-Mackay (LM) score, total nasal polyp scores, Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22), and absolute eosinophil counts were used to compare vitamin D levels across individuals.

The average age of the 104 patients that were included was 42.09 ± 13.3 years, and 63.5% of them were men. Vitamin D levels were 57.9 ± 31.2 nmol/L on average. The mean score on the SNOT-22 was 65.49 ± 21.3. The LM score was 14.48 ± 6.64 on average. The overall score for nasal polyps was 4.3 ± 2.08. Vitamin D levels did not correlate with other factors, however, they did have a negative correlation with polyp grade (r = -.264, P =.007) and LM score (r = -.210, P =.032).

Overall, patients with CRSwNP frequently have vitamin D insufficiency or inadequacy. More evidence that low vitamin D levels are linked to more severe CRSwNP was established when the study discovered a negative correlation between low blood vitamin D levels. These early results suggest that vitamin D measurement may be useful in the clinical assessment and treatment of CRSwNP. 

Source:

Magboul, N. A., Alotaibi, M., Aldokhayel, F., Almazyad, L. M., Alkwai, K., Almutawa, N., Alotaibi, M., Alyousef, M. Y., Alsaleh, S., & Alroqi, A. (2024). Association Between Serum Vitamin D Level and Uncontrolled Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyposis. In Ear, Nose & Throat Journal. SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.1177/01455613241302892