ABSTRACT
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels were measured in 338 elderly patients admitted to the Geriatric Medicine Departments of a general hospital in Israel in the course of one year. The mean (+/- SD) serum 25-OHD levels were significantly lower (P less than .01) in the elderly patients (13.5 +/- 8.9 ng/mL) than in healthy young controls (24.7 +/- 6.1 ng/mL). One hundred ten patients (35.5%) were either vitamin D deficient (25-OHD less than 5 ng/mL) or had borderline serum levels of 25-OHD (5-9 ng/mL). The mean (+/- SD) serum 25-OHD concentration of patients who were completely mobile before hospitalization was 15.5 +/- 8.8 ng/mL (n = 239). In patients mainly immobilized but able to leave the house occasionally, it was 10.2 +/- 6.3 ng/mL (n = 84) and of bed-ridden patients, it was 5.2 +/- 3.2 ng/mL (n = 15). No correlation was found between serum 25-OHD levels and the patients' age or serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and albumin values. Thus, in order to detect vitamin D deficiency in the elderly, it is necessary to measure serum 25-OHD concentration. The results demonstrate that vitamin D deficiency is common among elderly patients even in sunny climates and indicate the need for development of effective programs of prevention and treatment.
Subject(s)
Calcifediol/blood , Vitamin D Deficiency/epidemiology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Health Status , Hospitalization , Hospitals, General , Humans , Israel , Male , Vitamin D Deficiency/bloodABSTRACT
A poor vitamin D status is common in the elderly during the winter months. Because it is possible that hypovitaminosis D may be a cause of senile osteopenia, a simple method of prophylaxis would be useful. The single, oral, high-dose method was tested in two old-age homes, and the efficacy of vitamin D3 was compared with that of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OHD3). The trials showed that 25-OHD3 caused a higher peak value in the serum 25-OHD levels in the second week than did vitamin D3. However, follow-up after four to five months showed that in those patients who received a single, oral dose of 25-OHD3, the serum 25-OHD levels had returned to the baseline low values, whereas in those patients who had had oral vitamin D3, the serum 25-OHD levels still remained significantly raised compared with the baseline values and were within normal limits. It is concluded that the single, oral, high-dose method using vitamin D3 is a safe and simple method of prophylaxis and could be used easily in large populations of elderly persons.
