Objectives: The main purpose of the current study was to investigate nasal mucociliary clearance time (NMC) in patients with Vitamin-D deficiency.
Methods: A total of 55 patients with Vitamin-D deficiency and 32 controls were evaluated. NMC time was measured with subjective saccharine test and compared between study and control groups. In addition, NMC time was re-evaluated after Vitamin-D replacement protocol in patients with Vitamin-D deficiency.
Results: The mean 25(HO)Vitamin-D levels were 14.32 ± 4.23 ng/mL (7-24.6) and 29.38 ± 7.05 ng/mL (25-53.8) in study and control groups, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean NMC time was 11.15 ± 3.05 (6.3-17.6) and 8.40 ± 2.33 (6-13.2) in study and control groups, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean 25(HO)Vitamin-D level after the replacement protocol was 33.38 ± 10.03 and the mean NMC time was 9.56 ± 2.54 (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The mean NMC time was significantly increased in patients with Vitamin-D deficiency which can be corrected after Vitamin-D replacement protocols. The prolonged mucociliary clearance might be one of the pathophysiologic pathways at increased upper respiratory tract infections, and sinonasal and ear infections in patients with Vitamin-D deficiency.
Keywords: Ear infection; Nasal mucociliary clearance; Upper respiratory tract infection; Vitamin-D.