Low Serum 25‑hydroxyvitamin D levels: Predictive Value of Hematological and Inflammatory Markers in Patients with Urinary Tract Infection

Low vitamin D has been linked to enhance inflammatory markers in various pathological conditions. We aimed to evaluate the urinary tract infection (UTI)-associated hematological and inflammatory markers mediated by low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D].

Vitamin D level, hematological indices (Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR], Monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio [MLR], Neutrophil-to-monocyte ratio [NMR], Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio [PLR], and Mean platelet volume [MPV]), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-a were evaluated in 115 UTI patients and 57 controls.

The findings showed an inverse association between elevated hematological (NLR, MLR, and MPV) and serum markers of inflammation (CRP, IL-6, and TNF-a) with serum 25(OH)D levels in UTI patients. Among the several markers evaluated, the MLR had the ability to suggest the associated inflammation with low serum levels of 25(OH)D.  

The involvement of vitamin D deficiency might be characterized by an increase in the inflammatory markers in the patients which have an ability to establish the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and UTI; however, further investigations are needed to validate this finding.