North Texas Research Forum 2026
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Division
North Texas
Hospital
Medical City Arlington
Specialty
Internal Medicine
Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
2026
Keywords
thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH, vitamin D, asthma
Disciplines
Immune System Diseases | Internal Medicine | Medicine and Health Sciences | Respiratory Tract Diseases
Abstract
Background: Asthma exacerbations leading to hospitalization are very common and result from multifactorial causes. This research aims to investigate factors such as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and Vitamin D, which may play a role in the modulation of asthma-related hospitalizations and patient outcomes. TSH influences numerous cellular processes in the body, particularly during times of stress and illness, yet its role in asthma exacerbations and hospital length of stay remains unclear. Vitamin D has been studied for its role in enhancing medication absorption and regulating immune function, and multiple studies have shown that low serum Vitamin D levels are associated with greater asthma severity, poor asthma control, and more frequent exacerbations. While Vitamin D is commonly evaluated in the context of hypocalcemia, it is not routinely measured during asthma exacerbations in hospitalized patients, despite its potential role in preventing future exacerbations by supporting critical cellular self-regulatory processes. From a preventive care perspective, this research seeks to determine whether maintaining normal levels of TSH and Vitamin D, compared to low or high levels, impacts hospital length of stay.
Methods: This study is designed as a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with asthma exacerbations requiring inpatient admission. Patient data were obtained from the HCA patient database at a divisional level. Inclusion criteria included patients 18 years and older who were admitted with at least one specific CPT or ICD code indicating an asthma exacerbation. Furthermore, TSH and/or Vitamin D levels must have been ordered during the patient’s hospital course. Both length of stay and 30-day readmission rates were analyzed.
Results/Conclusion: Patients meeting inclusion criteria have been identified via the HCA database, and statistical analysis is currently underway. The two current working hypotheses are as follows: (1) adults diagnosed with Vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency have a longer length of stay and/or more severe asthma exacerbations compared to those with normal Vitamin D levels, and (2) adults with controlled TSH levels have a shorter hospital length of stay for asthma exacerbations compared to those with uncontrolled TSH levels.
Original Publisher
HCA Healthcare Graduate Medical Education
Recommended Citation
Rizvi, Kumail; Tran, Kenny; McCarrol, Michele; and Sengodan, Mohan, "Roles of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and Vitamin D Levels in Asthma Severity and Length of Stay" (2026). North Texas Research Forum 2026. 63.
https://scholarlycommons.hcahealthcare.com/northtexas2026/63
Included in
Immune System Diseases Commons, Internal Medicine Commons, Respiratory Tract Diseases Commons