Evaluation of serum Vitamin D level in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Duhok governorate

Abstract EN

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a common problem in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs).

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to measure serum Vitamin D concentrations ( 25 (OH) D) in patients with IBD and examine its relation to the severity of disease.

Materials and Methods: This was a prospective cross‑sectional study of adult patients diagnosed with IBD including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease compared to sex‑matched controls from an outpatient clinic in a public hospital in Iraq between February 2018 and May 2018.

The Vitamin D deficiency levels were assessed as below 20 ng/ml as deficient, between 20 and 30 ng/ml as insufficient, and >30 ng/ml as sufficient level.

Results: Serum Vitamin D levels were measured in 145 patients including 68 patients (median age: 30.5 ± 17.25) and 77 healthy controls (median age: 52.00 ± 12.25) ranged 18–63 years.

Further, the median length of disease progression was 3.0 years.

Serum Vitamin D levels were significantly lower in patients (IBD or separately) compared to healthy controls.

However, such significant difference was not found between patients with respect to Vitamin D and disease severity.

In addition, it was confirmed that disease severity is related to Vitamin D deficiency in IBD patients.

Conclusions: The current study revealed that the patients with IBD have a significantly lower level of Vitamin D compared to healthy control group.

In addition, the Vitamin D deficiency is related to disease severity.