THE CORRELATION BETWEEN VITAMIN D LEVELS AND SEPSIS: EXPLORING ITS IMPACT ON PATIENT OUTCOMES

Background: Sepsis continues to be the primary cause of death and ICU admissions worldwide. Not only is vitamin D important for healthy bones, but it also has a major impact on immune system regulation. It is yet unknown how vitamin D levels relate to the severity of sepsis, despite data linking vitamin D insufficiency to poor outcomes in critically sick patients.

Aims & Objectives: This study aimed to examine the correlation between vitamin D levels and the severity of sepsis in patients, assessing whether vitamin D deficiency impacts patient outcomes.

Methods:From June 2023 to May 2024, a prospective observational research was carried out at a tertiary care facility in Northern India. Enrolled were 273 individuals who had been hospitalized with septic shock, severe sepsis, or sepsis. The CLIA technique was used to test vitamin D levels, and the APACHE II, SAPS II, and GCS scores were used to gauge the severity of sepsis. ANOVA, the Students t-test, and linear regression were used in the statistical study.

Results: Patients with lower vitamin D levels exhibited lower APACHE II scores, but differences in SAPS II and GCS scores were not statistically significant. Discharged patients had significantly lower SAPS II scores compared to expired patients (P = 0.038). No significant difference in GCS scores was found between the two groups (P = 0.933).

Conclusions: This study suggests that vitamin D deficiency may influence sepsis severity, as measured by APACHE II scores, but has no significant impact on SAPS II or GCS scores. Further research is needed to explore the potential role of vitamin D supplementation in improving sepsis outcomes.