Prevalence of vitamin D depletion among subjects seeking advice on osteoporosis: a five-year cross-sectional study with public health implications.
We assessed vitamin D nutritional status in unselected consecutive patients seeking advice on osteoporosis. The prevalence of vitamin D depletion ranged from 15-72% depending upon the cut-off levels used for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and the prevalence did not change over the 5 years of the study.


BACKGROUND
Vitamin D depletion is a significant public health problem and has been studied in different populations using different cut-off levels, but the optimal level is yet to be established.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional study of 2,924 patients seen for osteoporosis advice we determined the prevalence of vitamin D depletion, as assessed by 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), using three different cut-off levels stratified by gender, race and the year of the study over 5 years.


RESULTS
Mean age was 68.3 +/- 10.0 years; 90% women and 88% white. Mean 25-OHD level was 24.6 +/- 10 ng/ml and mean PTH was 48.4 +/- 32 pg/ml. The prevalence of vitamin D depletion was 15% with a cut-off level of <15 ng/ml, and rose to 32% and 72% with cut-off levels <20 ng/ml and <30 ng/ml, respectively. The prevalence was higher in men and blacks and remained constant over 5 years, regardless of the cut-off level. The expected inverse relationship between 25-OHD and PTH was observed irrespective of gender or ethnicity.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of vitamin D depletion in patients seeking advice for osteoporosis is high and did not change over the 5 years of the study.
Guardia
G
G
Bone & Mineral Research Laboratory, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA.
Parikh
N
N
Eskridge
T
T
Phillips
E
E
Divine
G
G
Rao
D Sudhaker
DS
D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D044383:Black People; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D014504:Urban Health; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American
D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D