Association between Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations and Respiratory Infection among United States Adults

Benchao Li; Buyun Liu; Wei Bao; Shuang Rong

doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2022.10.006

Association between Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations and Respiratory Infection among United States Adults

J Nutr. 2023 Jan;153(1):260-267. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2022.10.006. Epub 2022 Dec 20.

Authors

Benchao Li¹, Buyun Liu², Wei Bao³, Shuang Rong⁴

Affiliations

¹ Academy of Nutrition and Health, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China.
² Institute of Public Health Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
³ Institute of Public Health Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China. Electronic address: wbao@ustc.edu.cn.
⁴ Academy of Nutrition and Health, Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, China. Electronic address: rongshuangwust@yeah.net.

PMID: 36913460
DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2022.10.006

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D plays an essential role in immune responses to infections. However, the association between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and respiratory infection remains unclear.

Objectives: The current study aimed to examine the association between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and respiratory infection among the United States adults.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the NHANES 2001-2014. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay or liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and were classified as ≥75.0 nmol/L (sufficiency), 50.0-74.9 nmol/L (insufficiency), 30.0-49.9 nmol/L (moderate deficiency), and <30 nmol/L (severe deficiency). The respiratory infections included self-reported head or chest cold as well as influenza, pneumonia, or ear infection within the last 30 d. The associations between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and respiratory infections were examined using weighted logistic regression models. Data are presented as ORs and 95% CIs.

Results: This study included 31,466 United States adults ≥20 y of age (47.1 y, 55.5% women) with a mean serum 25(OH)D concentration of 66.2 nmol/L. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, season of examination, lifestyle and dietary factors, and body mass index, compared with participants with a serum 25(OH)D concentration ≥75.0 nmol/L, those with a serum 25(OH)D concentration <30 nmol/L had higher risk of head or chest cold (OR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.36) and other respiratory diseases, including influenza, pneumonia, and ear infections (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.35, 2.51). In the stratification analyses, lower serum 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with a higher risk of head or chest cold in obese adults but not in nonobese adults.

Conclusions: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations are inversely associated with respiratory infection occurrence among United States adults. This finding may shed light on the protective effect of vitamin D on the respiratory health.

Keywords: head or chest colds; influenza and pneumonia; respiratory infection; serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D; vitamin D deficiency.

MeSH terms

Adult
Calcifediol
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Influenza, Human* / epidemiology
Male
Nutrition Surveys
Pneumonia*
United States / epidemiology
Vitamin D
Vitamin D Deficiency*
Vitamins

Substances

25-hydroxyvitamin D
Vitamin D
Calcifediol
Vitamins