Associations between vitamin D, adiposity, and respiratory symptoms in chronic spinal cord injury

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2018 · DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2017.1374020 · Published: January 1, 2018

Spinal Cord Injury Pulmonology Physiology

Simple Explanation

This study investigates the relationship between vitamin D levels, body fat, and respiratory symptoms in people with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). People with SCI are more likely to have respiratory problems. The study found that higher body fat is associated with wheezing in individuals with chronic SCI, but vitamin D levels were not associated with respiratory symptoms. This suggests that managing body fat could help improve respiratory health in this population. The researchers used a questionnaire, blood samples, and DXA scans to measure respiratory symptoms, vitamin D levels, and body fat in 343 participants with chronic SCI recruited from VA Boston and the community.

Study Duration

Between 8/2009 and 4/2015

Participants

Three hundred forty-three participants (282 men and 61 women) with chronic SCI

Evidence Level

Cross-sectional study

Key Findings

1
Increased body fat (android, gynoid, trunk, or total body fat) was associated with increased odds ratios for any wheeze and suggestive associations with persistent wheeze, but not with chronic cough or phlegm.
2
Vitamin D levels were not associated with any of the respiratory symptoms in the study population.
3
A deficiency of vitamin D (<20 ng/mL) was observed in 93 (27.1%) participants, 164 (47.8%) had insufficient levels (20-<30 ng/mL) and 86 (25.1%) participants had vitamin D levels ≥30 ng/mL.

Research Summary

This cross-sectional study assessed the associations between respiratory symptoms and plasma vitamin D and measures of body fat in individuals with chronic SCI. The study found that increased body fat, but not vitamin D, was associated with wheeze in chronic SCI, independent of various covariates like smoking and injury level. The findings suggest that managing body fat could be a potential strategy for improving respiratory health in individuals with chronic SCI.

Practical Implications

Weight Management

Encourage weight management and strategies to reduce body fat in individuals with chronic SCI to potentially alleviate wheezing symptoms.

Further Research

Conduct longitudinal studies to confirm the causal relationship between body fat and respiratory symptoms in SCI.

Clinical Monitoring

Clinicians should monitor body composition in patients with SCI, particularly focusing on wheezing symptoms and potential interventions.

Study Limitations

1
The cross-sectional design limits the ability to determine temporal associations between body fat, vitamin D, and respiratory symptoms.
2
A single vitamin D measurement may not accurately reflect chronic vitamin D insufficiency.
3
The study population was primarily male veterans, limiting generalizability to other populations.

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