Association Between Pre-operative 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Deficiency and Surgical Site Infection After Oral Cavity Oncology Surgery: a Cross-Sectional Study in a Tertiary Cancer Center in Northwestern India

Surgical site infections (SSI) following head and neck oncology surgery can lead to significant morbidity and healthcare costs. This cross-sectional study was used to investigate a potential link between pre-operative 25-hydroxy vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of surgical site infections in patients undergoing oral cavity oncology surgery. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary center in northwestern India from May 2022 to May 2023. Patients scheduled to undergo oral cavity oncology surgery during this period were eligible for inclusion. Patients with complete pre-operative 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels and documented post-operative wound infection status were included in the analysis. A total of 85 patients who underwent oral cavity oncology surgery were included in the study. Among them, 30.58% (26 patients) had pre-operative vitamin D deficiency, The overall incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) was 36.47% (31 patients). Among the patients with pre-operative vitamin D deficiency, 23 (88.5%) developed surgical site infections. Finally, pre-operative levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, pre-operative poor oral hygiene, and low albumin were confirmed as statistically significant independent predictors of SSI. After doing multivariate analysis, vitamin D deficiency was found to be a significant predictor of post-op wound infection [adjusted odds ratio − 0.71 (95% CI 0.61–0.82); p value < 0.001]. This study highlights the significant association between pre-operative 25-hydroxy vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of surgical site infections in patients. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in modulating the immune response, promoting antimicrobial peptides, and enhancing wound healing. These findings support the importance of assessing and addressing vitamin D deficiency in patients scheduled for oral cavity oncology surgery to potentially reduce the incidence of SSIs.