A new study from Korea has uncovered a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as a significant relationship between vitamin D deficiency and airflow limitations.

Exercise capacity also tended to be decreased in participants with vitamin D deficiency.

"About 80% of the 193 patients with COPD in the study had vitamin D deficiency compared with 40% to 60% of Koreans in the general population," said Dr. Sang-Do Lee, senior author of the Respirology study.

Jung, J. Y., Kim, Y. S., Kim, S. K., Kim, H. Y., Oh, Y. M., Lee, S. M., Seo, J. B., Lee, S.-D. and KOLD Study (2015), Relationship of vitamin D status with lung function and exercise capacity in COPD. Respirology. doi: 10.1111/resp.12538