ABSTRACT
Background: Literature has substantially advanced our understanding of the action of vitamin D in depression, much is still unknown concerning how vitamin D relates to dimensions of depression. Hence, authors aimed to examine the relationship of vitamin D in patients of depression, its correlation with the severity of depression and different symptom domains of depression.Methods: This Hospital based case control study included 75 patients with depression and 50 controls who were age and gender matched. Beck’s Depression Inventory II was used to assess the severity and symptom domains of depression. Vitamin D levels was assessed using Enhanced Chemiluminescence Technique.Results: Vitamin D deficiency was found significantly (<0.001*) among cases than controls. Significant (0.003*) inverse correlation was observed between severity of depression and vitamin D level.In cognitive symptoms, pessimism, punishment feeling, self-criticism, suicidal thoughts and worthlessness were found significantly higher among vitamin D deficient patients. However, in somatic-affective symptoms, crying, indecisiveness, loss of energy, irritability, concentration difficulty and being tired were the significant by prominent symptoms in vitamin D deficient patients.Conclusions: Vitamin D (<50 nmol/L) was found to be significantly associated with depressive symptoms with cognitive and somatic-affective symptoms being affected by vitamin D deficiency.