Prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in patients with chronic diseases like Diabetes and Hypertension presenting to Medicine Clinic in Bahria International Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Vitamin D deficiency in chronically diseased individuals is an important cause of morbidity in addition to their chronic ailment. As it is an important component for bone mineralization and calcium homeostasis. Vitamin 25(0H) D is produced in skin in the presence of sunlight. The main objective of the study conducted is to observe the percentage of vitamin D deficiency in population with chronic diseases such as Diabetes and Hypertension in city of Lahore.

METHODS:

Data collected from patients visiting Medicine clinic in Bahria International Hospital, Lahore from June 2017 to March 2018.

RESULTS:

Retrospectively 115 patients were analyzed. Patients with level <30ng/ml are considered deficient. We found 112/115 patients were found vitamin D deficient i.e. with levels<30ng/ml. Females were more effected (69/112) than males (46/112). We found83/115(43%) individuals were exposed to sunshine less than 10 minutes in a day. This seems to be a contributory factor for decreased vitamin D synthesis. The effected individuals were found to have clinical symptoms related to vitamin D deficiency e.g. psychiatric, musculoskeletal and behavioral symptoms with significant P-value <0.05

CONCLUSION:

Our study detected that vitamin D deficiency is still an under diagnosed and underestimated problem as it is more common in individuals with chronic diseases like Diabetes and cause many important skeletal, psychiatric and behavioral issues in people suffering from different chronic diseases.

Our study emphasizes the need to identify the cases endangered by Vitamin D insufficiency.