Evaluation of Vitamin D Supplementation in Critically Ill Patients - A Systematic Review of the Last 5 Years

Vitamin D deficiency was found to be associated with increased risks of infection, morbidity, and mortality in critically ill patients. However, current critical care guidelines do not recommend routine vitamin D supplementation. We conducted a literature search using Medline, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane databases for randomized controlled trials published in the past five years on vitamin D supplementation in ICU patients. We analyzed data from 21 studies, reviewing dosing strategies, administration routes, baseline vitamin D levels, and clinical outcomes such as biomarker changes, mechanical ventilation duration, hospital length of stay, and mortality.  Our results suggest that vitamin D supplementation may be safe and potentially beneficial in reducing ICU length of stay and time on mechanical ventilation. However, the impact on overall mortality remains uncertain. Our findings emphasize the need for individualized clinical decision-making regarding vitamin D supplementation in critically ill patients, considering baseline vitamin D levels, patient characteristics, severity of illness, and administration methods.