Prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy among postmenopausal women

ABSTRACT

To evaluate serum vitamin D levels and factors related to vitamin D inadequacy in postmenopausal women. Observational Cross-sectional study. This study was conducted in Outpatient departments of Obsetrics and Gynaecology and Orthopedics and Traumatology, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar from Dec 2011 to No 2012. During the study period, 200 postmenopausal women presenting to Orthopedics and Gynecology outpatient departments of Khyber Teaching Hospital were randomly recruited to the study. Women with active liver and/ or kidney disease and those taking drugs affecting calcium and vitamin D metabolism were excluded from the study. Serum Vitamin D levels were analyzed and were categorized as adequate [more than 30 ng/ml], insufficient [20-30 ng/ml], mild deficiency [10-20 ng/ml], moderate [5-10 ng/ml] and severe [<5 ng/ml]. The study included 200 postmenopausal women. Mean age was 58 years with a mean BMI of 24.3 kg/m[2]. Mean Vitamin D levels were 14.7 ng/ml with a range of 4-62 ng/ml. Vitamin D deficiency was present in 59% of postmenopausal women. Thirty three percent had mild deficiency while 21% had moderate deficiency. Five percent of women were severely deficient. More than half of postmenopausal women in our province have vitamin D deficiency underscoring the need for vitamin D supplementation in this vulnerable population. Prevention and early detection of hypovitaminosis D is the key to reduce the incidence of osteoporosis among postmenopausal women