2026, Volume 32, Issue 1

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SERUM 25(OH)D CONCENTRATION AND OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE MEASURES OF CHRONIC RHINOSINUSITIS SEVERITY

AGNIESZKA WITKOWSKA-JANIK¹, MARCIN BIERNACKI², ŁUKASZ DZIUDA³, ANDRZEJ WOJDAS¹
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¹Department of Otolaryngology, Military Institute of Aviation Medicine
²Department of Aviation Psychology, Military Institute of Aviation Medicine
³Department of Psychophysiological Measurements and Human Factor Research, Military Institute of Aviation Medicine


Autor korenspondencyjny: AGNIESZKA WITKOWSKA-JANIK; Department of Otolaryngology, Military Institute of Aviation Medicine; email: awitkowska@wiml.waw.pl

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Streszczenie

Introduction: The role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis remains unclear. This study sought to assess the relationship of serum total vitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration with objective and subjective measures of disease severity and to compare these relationships across chronic rhinosinusitis phenotypes.

Methods: This prospective study included 39 adult patients: 17 with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, 10 with chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps, and 12 patients scheduled for septoplasty, who served as the control group. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was measured with the use of a competitive binding assay with electrochemiluminescence detection. Disease severity was assessed using the Lund-Mackay and Lund-Kennedy scores, the SNOT-22 questionnaire, and a visual analog scale (VAS). Statistical methods comprised the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's post hoc tests, FDR-adjusted Spearman correlations, and linear regression with robust standard errors. 

Results: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations did not differ significantly between groups (p = 0.103). Significant between-group differences were found for the Lund-Mackay (p < 0.001), Lund-Kennedy (p < 0.001), SNOT-22 (p = 0.030), and VAS (p = 0.005) scores. None of the measures assessed showed a significant correlation with 25(OH)D concentration after FDR correction. Regression models showed no significant associations between 25(OH)D and clinical outcomes as well as no moderating effect of group. 

Discussion and Conclusions: In the study population, there was no statistically significant association between 25(OH)D concentration and radiologic, endoscopic, or subjective disease severity. The results do not support the use of 25(OH)D concentration as a stand-alone biomarker of chronic rhinosinusitis severity. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings because the sample was small.

Słowa kluczowe

chronic rhinosinusitis, SNOT-22, Lund-Mackay score, Lund-Kennedy score, vitamin D