The Relationship Between Serum Level of 25-hydroxy Vitamin D and Cytomegalovirus Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Kidney transplant recipients are at risk of opportunistic infections; previous studies demonstrated the association between low level of vitamin D and the risk of viral infections. This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D level and active Cytomegalovirus infection / disease in kidney transplant recipients. Methods. A total number of 83 kidney transplant recipients enrolled in this case-control study from June 2013 to January 2014. 38 patients had active CMV infection / disease and 45 patients had no evidence of active CMV infection. Serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D was measured in these two groups and classified as different levels of sufficient (more than 30ng/mL), insufficient (15-30 ng/mL), and deficient (less than 15 ng/mL). Data were analyzed in SPSS 21 statistical software by using statistical tests of Pearson correlation coefficient, chi-square and t-test. Results. Mean serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D level was 14.42 ng/ mL in case group and 17.52 ng/mL in control group. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of patients’ characteristics (P > .05). No significant statistical difference was found between mean 25-hydroxy vitamin D level in case and control groups (P > .05) but Vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D less than15 ng/mL) was noticed in 63.1% of CMV infected group versus 42.2% of control group. Thus vitamin D deficiency was seen more prevalent in the CMV infected group (P > .05). Conclusion. Although we did not find a statistically significant relationship between vitamin D levels and the CMV infection, CMV infected patients had lower vitamin D level compared with noninfected recipients, hence vitamin D deficiency can be considered as a risk factor for CMV reactivation after renal transplantation.