Prevalence of vitamin-D deficiency A hospital based retrospective study

Vitamin-D is conventionally known for its importance in calcium metabolism and homeostasis. Emphasis has now been shifting from the involvement of vitamin-D in bone health to its extra-skeletal concern. Data to reflect on the magnitude of vitamin-D deficiency and to create an insight into the prevalence of vitamin-D deficiency in hospitalised patients and its association with various co-morbid conditions is very scarce. So this study is carried out with the objective of assessing vitamin-D levels in a hospital patient population and its association with co-morbid illnesses. Estimated Vitamin-D levels were obtained from the medical records who were admitted to a tertiary care hospital during the period of August 2012-2013. Details of the patients including age, gender, diagnosis and associated co-morbidities were taken from the medical records. The study included 350 in-patients out of which 190 were males and 160 females. Our study showed that the prevalence of vitamin-D deficiency was 83 which was nearly equal in males and females. Further analysis showed that the most common morbidities associated with vitamin-D deficiency was type 2 diabetes mellitus and systemic hypertension. Nearly 24 of vitamin-D deficient subjects had chronic liver disease and neurological disturbances each. The other common co-morbidities associated were cancer, thyroid disorders, tuberculosis and autoimmune diseases. Epidemic of vitamin-D deficiency in India is likely to significantly contribute to the enormous burden on the healthcare system. Adequate supplementation of vitamin-D to the population could have a major impact in the prevention of vitamin-D deficiency and thereby reducing the trouble caused by the most common co-morbidities associated with its deficiency.