title: Prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in Indo-Asian patients attending a rheumatology clinic.
abstract: This study was performed to determine the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D (HD) and hypovitaminosis D associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism (HD-SHPT) among Indo-Asians attending rheumatology clinics in Wolverhampton. A cross-sectional survey of 98 clinic attenders and 36 normal controls subjects was undertaken. The groups were matched for age, gender, and body mass index. There was a high prevalence of vegetarianism, and milk consumption was low in both groups. Clinical scores for musculoskeletal pain, gait, and muscle strength were all significantly worse in clinic attenders (p < 0.001). Comparing clinic attenders with controls, 25-OH-vitamin D levels were 6.6 +/- 3.9 vs. 8.2 +/- 4.8 microg/L (p < 0.01) and the prevalence of HD (<8 microg/L) was 78% vs. 58% (p < 0.05), but neither parathyroid hormone levels (53 +/- 60 vs. 50 +/- 18 ng/L, n.s.) nor HD-SHPT prevalence (22% vs. 33%, n.s.) were significantly different. Routine biochemical tests were not discriminant, but none of the controls and 10 of 98 (10%) clinic attenders had elevated alkaline phosphatase levels: 6 with HD and 3 with HD-SHPT. Vitamin D deficiency has an extremely high prevalence among Indo-Asians in the U.K., particularly in those attending rheumatology clinics. Detection of HD and HD-SHPT is only possible using measurements of 25-OH-vitamin D and PTH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. e.serhan@btinternet.com
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Serhan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walford
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007011:Hypoparathyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D015995:Prevalence; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D014807:Vitamin D; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium