Another Benefit of High Vitamin D Levels: Lower Risk for Diverticulitis

Douglas K. Rex, MD

A high level of vitamin D was protective against diverticulitis in patients with uncomplicated diverticulosis.

Normal-to-high levels of vitamin D have been associated with reduced risks for colorectal cancer (NEJM JW Gastroenterol Feb 26 2010) and inflammatory bowel disease (NEJM JW Gastroenterol Mar 30 2012). In the current study, researchers in the U.S. evaluated a possible association between vitamin D levels and diverticulitis. Using a health care provider network database, they compared serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels between 9116 patients with a diagnosis of uncomplicated diverticulosis but no diverticulitis and 922 patients hospitalized for diverticulitis.

Patients with uncomplicated diverticulosis had higher mean pre-diagnostic serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (29.1 ng/mL) than patients with diverticulitis (25.3 ng/mL; P< 0.0001). Patients in the highest quintile of vitamin D levels had a 50% lower risk for hospitalization with diverticulitis compared with patients in the lowest quintile (relative risk, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.38–0.62; P<0.0001). Lower vitamin D levels were associated with all subtypes of diverticulitis analyzed: acute diverticulitis without other sequelae, diverticulitis with abscess, diverticulitis requiring emergent laparotomy, and recurrent diverticulitis.

Citation(s):

Maguire LH et al. Higher serum levels of vitamin D are associated with a reduced risk of diverticulitis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2013 Dec; 11:1631.