Vitamin D supplementation as adjunct to anti‐tuberculosis drugs in Mongolian TB patients

Abstract

Objectiveto test whether vitamin D supplementation in vivo may be a useful adjunct to anti‐TB drugs and could lead to the development of shorter drug regimens.Methods: Double‐blind, placebo‐controlled randomized clinical trial among TB patients in Mongolia. The baseline clinical assessment consisted of chest radiography, measurement of height, weight, mid‐upper arm circumference, and triceps, biceps and subscapular skinfolds and collection of a sputum, a urine, and a blood samples.Results: The results were available for the subsample of the patients and were analyzed by cavity status at baseline. Fewer of the participants were female (31%) compared to the males (69%). At baseline, 46 patients had a cavity (Cav +) and 94 did not have a cavity (Cav ‐) on chest radiograph. The participants in the Cav (‐) and Cav (+) groups were similar in age (mean 34.9 + 11.9 sd cm vs. 34.9 + 15.4 sd cm). Sputum samples are collected and cultured every two weeks. For each subject, the date of conversion from positive to negative was determined. Since un‐blinding has not occurred, we are presenting here pooled time to sputum culture conversion.ConclusionsMean serum concentration of albumin at baseline was 34.7 + 60.5 g/L in the Cav (+) compared to 37.2+4.9 g/L in the Cav (‐) group (p<0.05). Mean concentrations of C Reactive Protein (CRP) and neutrophils were significantly higher in the Cav (+) group compared to the Cav (‐) group.