VITAMIN D STATUS;

Abstract

… Objective: Our primary objective was to estimate the vitamin D status amongboth the rural and urban dwellers of Sargodha. Study Design: A cross sectional population survey.Place and Duration of Study: Individuals were selected from six different medical centersin the Sargodha city, Vitamin D measurement was done in Khan Lab Sargodha from January2013 to June 2013. Methodology: After an awareness campaign, healthy individuals and medicalpatients from six different clinics in Sargodha city were selected after excluding the diseasesthat interfered with the metabolism of calcium and vitamin D. The initial assessment involvedan interview based questionnaire, at the clinic by the treating doctor. It recorded the informationregarding age, sex, weight, residence, and co-morbid conditions like, DM, hypertension,ischemic heart disease and kidney disease and medications especially oral vitamin D supplementation.The physical assessments included height, weight record and blood pressuremeasurements. The test: It was performed in Khan Lab Sargodha. Quantitative determinationof 25-OH vitamin D was done from the serum by using competitive immunoluminometric assayon Maglumi 1000 fully automated chemistry analyzer. Results: Out of total 100 specimens 46were found to be having low levels of vitamin D levels. Insufficient levels (21-29 ng/ml) were presentin 10 individuals. It was less than 10 ng/ml in 11, less than 5 ng/ml in 4, while 21 individualswere having levels between 10-20 ng/ml. Five individuals had levels more than 100 ng/ml.None of the individuals had level in toxic range. Out of 56 females 27(48.22%) had low vitaminD levels, while out of 44 males 19 (43.2%) were found to be having levels less than 30ng/ml.The median age of individuals having levels less than 30ng/ml was 37 years (14-57 years). Therelationship of high BMI and vitamin deficiency was statistically non-significant (p-value = .282).Conclusions: Although the sample size is small, however our study reveals that a large proportion(46%) of studied individuals representing the asymptomatic general population is havinglow level of vitamin D. in order to address this public issue concrete measures need to be takenin order to prevent adverse consequences of low vitamin D levels.