Serum Vitamin D in Common Non-Metabolic Disorders: Results of Patients Survey at Public Hospitals of Karachi

Abstract

Objectives: To determine serum vitamin D level in common non-metabolic medical and surgicaldisorders. Study design: Cross sectional study.Place and duration of study: Study conducted from March 2006 to January 2009 at multiplecentres as per authors affiliation. Patients and methods: Patients having a common non metabolic symptomatic disease wereselected. Patients with rickets and osteomalacia were excluded. Serum vitamin D, serum calcium,phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase level and routine blood investigations were obtained in all patients.Normal range of serum vitamin D level was defined and lower values were divided into mild,moderate and severe . One sample t test was used for determination of significance. All data werecollected and processed on SPSS version 10. Results: Out of 205 patients, serum vitamin D level was found to be low in 169 (82.4%) patients.The vitamin D level was normal in 36 (17.6%) patients; low levels were categorized into three,mildly low in 33 (16.1%) patients, moderately low in 55 (26.8%) patients and severely low in 81(39.5%) patients. Chi square test and one sample test (P value = < 0.001) with all type of deficienciesin all groups of diseases was highly significant. Conclusion: Low serum vitamin D level with highly significant value seen in all groups of diseasesand in all types of deficiencies. Its prognostic value, role in the development of the pathology andpathogenesis in different diseases has to be evaluated, and require further research in individualsets of diseases.

Keywords

• alpha calcidol
• vitamin d
• calcium metabolism