Vitamin D status among patients attending Hussein Medical Center for diabetes in Jordan

Abstract EN

Objective : vitamin D is a steroid fat soluble vitamin, in which deficiency is highly prevalent worldwide and has been linked to many diseases.

The aim of this study is to assess vitamin D status, and factors associated with low serum level of vitamin D in a sample of patients attending Al-Hussein Medical Center for Diabetes in Salt Hospital.

Methods : this is a retrospective study which was done on subjects attending Al-Hussein Medical Center for Diabetes during the period between 1st of June 2011 and 30th of October 2012 who were routinely assessed for vitamin D during this period.

The total sample size was 590 subjects, divided into two groups, group one (340) subjects with type 2 diabetes and group 2 (250) subjects without diabetes, excluding from the sample pregnant women and all patients with problems related to vitamin D deficiency.

A specially designed medical record form was used to collect the relevant data.

Results : vitamin D level less than 30 ng / mL was found in 71.7 % of subjects.

Calcium, phosphorous, albumin, parathyroid hormone and cholesterol were normal in the majority of the subjects.

Low serum vitamin D level (< 30ng / mL) was seen in 68.2 %, and in 76.4 % of group 1 and group 2 respectively, (p = 0.000).

Obese subjects showed low serum vitamin D in both groups (71.1 % and 77.2 % respectively).

About 79 % of group 1 and 83 % of group 2 with history of infrequent exposure to sun showed low serum vitamin D (p = 0.000) and 13.5 % in group 1 and 12.8 % in group 2 gave history of infrequent intake of milk and dairy product.

Subjects wearing hijab or nigab in both groups had low serum vitamin D (80.4 %, 82.4 %, p = 0.000 respectively).

Conclusion : Low serum vitamin D level is highly prevalent among both groups, and the most important risk factors for low serum vitamin D level were the lack of sun exposure and dressing style.

National plan for education, screening and control of risk factors associated with vitamin D deficiency is highly recommended.