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Oral Session
Vitamins and Minerals
Tibebeselassie Keflie, Ph.D.cand
Graduate study
Institute of Biological Chemistry and Nutrition (140)
Hans K.Biesalski, M.D., Ph.D.
Former Professor
Institute of Biological Chemistry and Nutrition
Objectives : Despite the availability of effective antimicrobials, tuberculosis (TB) remains as a public health threat globally. There is a need for simple and inexpensive strategies to improve the treatment outcomes.The objective of our study was to deal with the potential use of vitamin D2 derived from sun-exposed oyster mushroom as adjunctive therapy to standard anti-TB treatment
Methods : Randomized controlled trial was conducted on 64 pulmonary TB patients (32 assigned to intervention and 32 assigned to control) in North Shewa, Ethiopia. Intervention group was provided with a sandwich prepared from sun-exposed oyster mushroom containing 146 µg (5840 IU) vitamin D2 continuously from Monday to Friday during the first 16 weeks of anti-TB treatment. Blood and sputum specimens were taken at the beginning and end of the study. The primary outcomes were changes in vitamin D status, clinical improvements (assessed by TB score and Karnofsky performance status scale) and immunologic responses. Sputum smear and culture conversion were evaluated as secondary outcomes. P< 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Results :
Vitamin D2 intervention brought significant difference of 8.1 ± 6.2 ng/mL (95% CI: 5.9 to 10.3 ng/mL) in the serum 25(OH)D level and corrected vitamin D deficiency in more than 35% of TB patients. After intervention, 96.9% vs 21.5% of TB patients found in TB score SC-I and had mean ± SD of Karnofsky performance status scale of 80.3 ± 6.9% vs 64.7 ± 5.7% in the intervention group vs control group, respectively. IFN-g and cathelicidin LL-37 levels were showed significant improvement solely in the intervention group. the changes in the IL-4 and IL-10 levels were insignificant and sputum smear culture conversion was not achieved in both groups.
Conclusions :
Vitamin D2 derived from sun-exposed oyster mushroom was effective in improving vitamin D status, clinical outcomes and immune responses. And hence, it could serve as potential, safe, easily available and cost-effective adjunctive therapy for TB.
Funding Sources : None