Randomized Controlled Trial of Calcitriol vs. Placebo Among Critically-ill Patients With Sepsis
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2014-02-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Observational studies among critically ill patients have shown strong associations between
vitamin D deficiency and adverse outcomes, including increased length of stay, infection, and
mortality. It is unknown whether vitamin D deficiency contributes directly to adverse
outcomes or whether it is simply a biomarker of severity of illness or overall health status.
However, vitamin D plays a key role in host defense, largely by stimulating production of the
anti-microbial peptide cathelicidin (LL-37). We will test the hypothesis that administration
of activated vitamin D (calcitriol) will increase serum levels of cathelicidin.