The relationship between vitamin D and prognosis in neurology intensive care patients

Abstract

Objectives: Vitamin D level has been associated with mortality and length of hospitalization (LOH) in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). This study is an investigation of the vitamin D level of patients in a neurology ICU, the LOH in the ICU, bacterial growth observed in a hemoculture, and mortality. Methods: Eighty-four patients whose vitamin D level was measured at the time of admission to the ICU and 85 controls were enrolled in the study. Details of the reason for hospitalization, additional diseases, LOH, the presence of bacterial development in a hemoculture during hospitalization, and 30-day and 90-day mortality after diagnosis were recorded and analyzed. Results: The mean vitamin D value was 20.29±12.82 ng/mL in the control group, while it was 12.72±9.48 ng/mL in the patient group, which was significantly lower (p<0.001). The mean vitamin D level (12.36±8.85 ng/mL) in hospitalized patients with an ischemic cardiovascular event (CVE) was lower than that of the hemorrhagic CVE group (16.69±12.75 ng/mL). There was no statistically significant difference between 30-day and 90-day mortality according to the vitamin D group (p≥0.05); however, those with an adequate vitamin D level had a lower 90-day mortality. The vitamin D level of patients who died in the non-CVE group was significantly lower at 90 days compared with that of survivors (p<0.024). Conclusion: The results indicated that vitamin D may be associated with etiology in ischemic CVEs and may have a relationship to prognosis in cases of infection or immunological events. A sufficient level of vitamin D may reduce the risk of ischemic CVE in older age and contribute to a life with fewer comorbidities.