Acute kidney injury due to overcorrection of hypovitaminosis D : a tertiary center experience in the Kashmir valley of India

Abstract EN

Vitamin D deficiency state is endemic in the Kashmir valley of the Indian subcontinent.

Clinicians frequently treat patients with Vitamin D for diverse clinical symptoms to improve the general health and to reduce the frailty of elderly and these doses may at times be inappropriately high.

Vitamin D toxicity-induced acute kidney injury (AKI), often considered rare, can be life-threatening and associated with substantial morbidity if not identified promptly.

We aimed to describe clinical and biochemical features, risk factors, and management of AKI patients with Vitamin D toxicity seen at a single tertiary care centre in Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, India, between January 2014 and January 2016.

Evaluation included detailed clinical history and biochemical tests including serum calcium, phosphorus, creatinine, intact parathyroid hormone, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D].

Nineteen patients with Vitamin D toxicity-induced AKI could be identified.

Clinical manifestations included nausea, vomiting, altered sensorium, constipation, pancreatitis, AKI, acute on chronic kidney disease, and weight loss.

Median (range) age was 64 (45–89) years.

Median (range) serum 25(OH)D level and median (range) total serum calcium level were 99 (190–988) ng/mL and 139 (119–152) mg/dL, respectively.

Overdose of Vitamin D caused by prescription of megadoses of Vitamin D was the cause of AKI in all cases.

Median (range) cumulative Vitamin D dose was 6,000,000 (3,600,000– 9,000,000) IU.

On three- and six-month follow-up, the creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate normalized and returned to baseline in all patients except three cases who had underlying chronic kidney disease.

Three patients needed rehospitalization for another episode of AKI.

Our data demonstrate an emergence of Vitamin D toxicity as a cause of AKI in this part of the world.

Irrational use of Vitamin D in megadoses resulted in AKI in all cases.

Persistence of Vitamin D in the body for longer time resulted in rehospitalization of patients with AKI.

Awareness among health-care providers regarding the toxic potential of high doses of Vitamin D and cautious use of Vitamin D supplements can have immense value to prevent this AKI.