Clinical studies suggest that chronic or serious sinusitis might be associated with vitamin D deficiency, a medical team at Taichung’s Cheng Ching Hospital said.
Sinusitis is an inflammation or swelling of the tissue lining the sinuses, and is also known as a sinus infection or rhinosinusitis.
The team said that it analyzed blood samples of 41 patients with chronic sinusitis who had undergone surgery and were receiving further treatment, but were making slow progress, and found that they had relatively low concentrations of vitamin D.
The study was conducted between June last year and June, department of otorhinolaryngology director Chen Chung-hsiung (陳忠雄) said.
The average vitamin D concentration in the blood samples of 26 patients with nasal polyp was 20 nanograms per mililiter (ng/mL), with the lowest being 7.4ng/ml, while the average vitamin D concentration in the samples of 15 patients without nasal polyp was 21ng/mL, with the lowest being 12.8ng/mL, he said.
People without chronic sinusitis have average vitamin D concentrations of 30ng/mL in their blood, he added.
Most people know that vitamin D helps increase the absorption of calcium and is essential to proper bone health, but the team discovered that low vitamin D levels could result in worsened sinusitis or poor recovery after treatment, Chen said.
However, while people with sinusitis are advised to consume adequate amounts of vitamin D, they should first see a doctor and have their blood tested, and take supplements according to a doctor’s prescription to prevent vitamin D intoxication, he said.
Vitamin D intoxication can lead to buildup of excessive amounts calcium in the blood, heart and kidneys, and can cause the formation of calcium stones or calcification of blood vessels and organ tissues, he added.
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