title: High prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in a Swiss rheumatology outpatient population.
abstract: Vitamin D is important for bone metabolism and neuromuscular function. While a routine dosage is often proposed in osteoporotic patients, it is not so evident in rheumatology outpatients where it has been shown that the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D is high. The aim of the current study was to systematically evaluate the vitamin D status in our outpatient rheumatology population to define the severity of the problem according to rheumatologic diseases. During November 2009, all patients were offered a screening test for 25-OH vitamin D levels and categorised as deficient (<10 µg/l [ng/ml] [25 nmol/l]), insufficient (10 µg/l to 30 µg/l [25 to 75 nmol/l]) or normal (>30 µg/l [75 nmol/l]). A total of 272 patients were included. The mean 25-OH vitamin D level was 21 µg/l (range 1.5 to 45.9). A total of 20 patients had vitamin D deficiency, 215 patients had an insufficiency and 37 patients had normal results. In the group of patients with osteoporosis mean level of 25-OH vitamin D was 25 µg/l and 31% had normal results. In patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (N = 219), the mean level of 25-OH vitamin D was 20.5 µg/l, and only 12% had normal 25-OH vitamin D levels. In the small group of patients with degenerative disease (N = 33), the mean level of 25-OH vitamin D was 21.8 µg/l, and 21% had normal results. Insufficiency and deficiency were even seen in 38% of the patients who were taking supplements. These results confirm that hypovitaminosis D is highly prevalent in an outpatient population of rheumatology patients, affecting 86% of subjects. Despite oral supplementation (taken in 38% of our population), only a quarter of those on oral supplementation attained normal values of 25-OH vitamin D.
authors.affiliation: Center for Bone Diseases, Lausanne University Hospital-DAL, Avenue Pierre Decker 4, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland. delphine.stoll@chuv.ch
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stoll
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dudler
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lamy
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hans
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: So
authors.forename: Marc-Antoine
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Krieg
authors.forename: Bérengère
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aubry-Rozier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D015995:Prevalence; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D002762:Cholecalciferol; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D