RESUMO
PURPOSE: Many recent reports demonstrated high rates of vitamin D deficiency in numerous segments of Indian population but no study has been reported so far from India, which focuses specifically on vitamin D status in orthopaedic patients. This study finds out the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in orthopaedic patients in India. METHODS: Vitamin D levels of 1132 patients were measured from OPD and Emergency Department of S.N. Medical College, Agra from 1 November 2011 to 31 October 2013. Serum 25(OH) vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and routine blood investigations were done. BMI and daily sun exposure were measured. RESULTS: Out of 1132 patients included in our study, 732 (64.7%) were males and 400 (36.3%) females. Vitamin D deficiency (<30 ng/ml) was present in 1034 patients (91.3%); among them, 693 patients (61.2%) had vitamin D level <20 ng/ml and only 98 patients (8.7%) had sufficient levels of vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency was more in elderly patients (61-80) than in younger patients. Among 1132 patients, 670 males (91.5%) and 364 females (91.0%) were found to have serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels <30 ng/dl cut-off for vitamin D sufficiency (p-value = 0.75). Vitamin D levels were lower in patients with less mean sun exposure time. BMI level was more in deficient group than the sufficient group relatively. CONCLUSION: High incidence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency likely exists across all age groups among orthopaedic patients. Screening and treating hypovitaminosis D appears to be important in this patient population.
