We prospectively studied 60 consecutive patients in order to evaluate the prevalence of
vitamin D deficiency. All of them were inpatients, and were evaluated from October 2013 through May 2014. Levels of 25
OH vitamin D were classified as sufficient (> 30 ng/ml), mild to moderate deficiency (15 to 30 ng/ml) and severe deficiency (< 15 ng/ml). The mean age was 72.1 ± 19.5 years; 43 were females and 17 males. Five percent of the patients had normal values of
vitamin D, 31.6% had mild to moderate deficit and 63.3% had severe deficit of the
vitamin. Severe deficit was associated with
hypoalbuminemia, compared with mild to moderate deficit and with sufficient values (2.98 g/dl vs. 3.52 g/dl and vs. 4.39 g/dl, respectively, p: 0.012) and low levels of serum
calcium (8.35 mg/dl vs. 8.61 mg/dl and 9.8 mg/dl, respectively, p: 0.003). Although there was a trend of low
vitamin D levels with increasing age, female sex, immobilization, higher levels of
glucose and glycated haemoglobin, more duration of hospitalization, we didn't find any statistically significance difference between groups.
Vitamin D deficiency is common in hospitalized patients. It correlates with low levels of
serum albumin and
calcium. Improving diagnosis and recognition of this condition may enable us to improve the management of this deficit.