Should we be feeding our #diabeticfoot infection patients vitamin D? Intriguing data

These intriguing data from Gupta and coworkers.

How do they track with anti RANK-L/calcitonin and other potential diagnostics/therapies for persistent inflammation?

Abstract:

Objectives: Vitamin D supplementation improves phagocytosis and it might have effect on inflammatory cytokines. In this study we assessed the effect of vitamin D over the expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α in diabetic patient with and without foot infection. Materials and Methods: The study subjects were divided in to two groups. Group I included 120 patients with Diabetes without any foot infection and Group II included 106 patients with Diabetes having foot infection. Both groups were supplemented with cholecalciferol 300000 IU per oral in 5 divided dose of at the enrollment. Serum concentration of 25(OH) vitamin D3, IL6 and TNF-α were estimated by respective kits after 4 weeks. Data were expressed as mean ± SD and Z-test was used to compare the mean values. Results: No significant difference was noticed in the mean (± SD) values of age, BMI, duration of T2DM and HbA1c, between the two groups. There was significant difference in the Mean values of FBS and PPBS levels at baseline and during follow up period in both groups (p < 0.05). Vitamin D deficiency was common in both the groups. Mean values of serum concentrations of 25-OH vitamin D3 at baseline and after 4 weeks were significantly different in both controls (group I, p = 0.0122) and cases (group II, p < 0.0001). Difference in mean levels of circulating serum inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 at baseline and follow up was not significant in group I but significant in group II (p = 0.0001 for TNF-α, p = 0.0026 for IL-6). Conclusion: In this study we found that vitamin D supplementation reduced inflammatory cytokines in diabetic foot patients having heightened response of these cytokines. Vitamin D supplementation might be considered for as one of the treatment strategies of diabetic foot patients with objective of infection control and fast wound healing of diabetic foot ulcers.

Source: EBSCOhost | 122227092 | Effect of vitamin D supplementation on cytokines expression in patients with diabetic foot infection.