Li Y, et al. - By performing a meta-analysis, researchers examined the link between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH) D] at admission and mortality risk among adult patients with sepsis. PubMed and Embase databases were explored systematically to identify follow-up investigations that afforded data of multivariate adjusted relative risk between serum 25 (OH) D and mortality risk among septic patients. This analysis involved 8 studies with 1,736 patients. Findings of overall meta-analysis revealed an independent link of lower 25 (OH) D at admission with increased risk or mortality among patients with sepsis. A significant link of severe vitamin D deficiency (25 (OH) D < 10 ng/ml) with higher mortality risk was revealed on exploring subgroup association, but the links were non-significant for vitamin D insufficiency (25 (OH) D 20~30 ng/ml) or deficiency (25 (OH) D 10~20 ng/ml). Overall, a possible independent link of severe vitamin D deficiency with increased mortality was suggested in a population of adult patients with sepsis.