Vitamin D accelerates clinical recovery from tuberculosis: results of the SUCCINCT Study [Supplementary Cholecalciferol in recovery from tuberculosis]. A randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of vitamin D supplementation in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis’

Study answer

What this study found

High-dose vitamin D accelerated clinical and radiographic recovery overall, although several secondary outcomes were not improved. In the vitamin D arm, weight gain was greater at 12 weeks (Δ 4.02 kg, p=0.007), BMI increased more (Δ 1.48, p=0.008), and chest X-ray improvement was greater (p=0.004). There was no significant effect on TB score (p=0.198), MUAC (p=0.079), smear conversion (81.8%; p=0.39), or MTBs-induced IFN-γ (3092 ± 1363 vs 2987 ± 1510; p=0.497). The authors concluded that therapeutic vitamin D may speed recovery in pulmonary TB, with immune benefits mainly in patients with…

Study & population

Randomized, placebo-controlled trial in adults with smear-positive, active pulmonary tuberculosis in Pakistan.

Intervention

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) was given as 600,000 IU intramuscularly for 2 doses, 1 month apart, in addition to standard anti-tuberculosis therapy.

Key limitation

Follow-up was short at 12 weeks, so longer-term clinical effects and relapse prevention were not assessed.

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Original abstract