The association between preoperative 25-OH vitamin D levels and postoperative complications in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery.

BACKGROUND

Determining the modifiable risk factors for postoperative complications is particularly significant in patients undergoing colorectal surgery since those are associated with worse long-term outcomes.

METHODS

Consecutive newly diagnosed 104 colorectal cancer patients were prospectively included in this single-center observational study. Preoperative serum 25-OH vitamin D levels were measured and analyzed for infectious and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

Serum 25-OH vitamin D levels were found to be < 20 ng/ml in 74 patients (71.2%) and ≥ 20 ng/ml in 30 patients (28.8%); and the mean serum 25-OH vitamin D level was 15.95 (± 9.08) ng/ml. In patients with surgical site infection and infectious complications, 25-OH vitamin D levels were significantly lower than patients without complications (p = 0.036 and p = 0.026). However, no significant difference was demonstrated in 25-OH vitamin D levels according to overall postoperative complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that vitamin D levels might be a potential risk factor for infectious complications in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery.