Impact of vitamin D deficiency on increased blood eosinophil counts

• Main Authors: João Tadeu Damian Souto Filho, Alícia Souza de Andrade, Felipe Mesquita Ribeiro, Paola de Araujo Sardenberg Alves, Virgínia Ribeiro Fernandes Simonini
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2018-03-01
• Series: Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1658387617300936

Objective/background: Vitamin D has been increasingly recognized as an immunomodulatory agent. Its deficiency has been associated with immune-mediated diseases such as asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. These allergic conditions are dependent on T-helper type 2 (Th2) cells secreting interleukins, overproduction of immunoglobulin E (IgE), and eosinophil activation. We investigated the association between serum vitamin D levels and blood absolute eosinophil count. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study of 669 men and women referred to a clinical pathology laboratory who underwent 25-hydroxyvitamin D testing and complete blood count analysis on the same day. Results: Vitamin D levels were stratified into four ranges: severely deficient (<10 ng/mL), deficient (≥10 ng/mL and <20 ng/mL), insufficient (≥20 ng/mL and <30 ng/mL), or sufficient (≥30 ng/mL). The mean/median eosinophil count in the four groups was 267/254 cells/μL, 245/238 cells/μL, 191/159 cells/μL, and 182/146 cells/μL, respectively, (p = .001). The difference was significant between the severe deficiency group and each of the other three groups (p = .012, p = .002, and p = .001, respectively). There was no statistical difference among the four groups in terms of total leukocyte counts (p = .151), neutrophils (p = .177), or lymphocytes (p = .582). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher blood eosinophil count. These results support the possible role of vitamin D in the eosinophil immune response. Keywords: Eosinophilia, Eosinophils, Vitamin D, Vitamin D deficiency