title: Vitamin D status in healthy Indians aged 50 years and above.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is widespread prevalence of vitamin D deficiency from new-born to infancy, childhood and adult male and females (non-pregnant, pregnant and lactating). However, there is limited information of the vitamin D status in elderly Indians.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried in 1346 healthy subjects more than 50 years of age residing in Delhi, India. These subjects, who were divided in two groups: Group-1 (50-< 65 years) and Group-2 (> or = 65 years), underwent anthropometric, biochemical and hormonal evaluation for vitamin D status Bone mineral density was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 643 males and 703 females, with a mean age of 58.0 +/- 9.5 years (range 50-84 years). Vitamin D deficiency [VDD, serum 25(OH)D levels < 20 ng/ml) was present in 1228 (91.2%) and Vitamin D insufficiency [VDI, serum 25(OH)D levels 20-< 30 ng/ml] in 92 (6.8%). There was no significant difference in prevalence of either VDD or VDI between two age groups and sexes. Serum 25(OH)D levels were negatively correlated with PTH levels (r -0.027, p <0.00001) and BMI (r -0.128, p 0.05). Prevalence of secondary hyperparathyroidism increased from 14.1% to 43.1% from VDI to severe VDD. PTH levels started rising at vitamin D level < 30 ng/ml. However, more than 50% of subjects with severe VDD had PTH levels within normal range. High prevalence of osteopenia (50.2%) and osteoporosis (31.2%) was observed in this population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypovitaminosis D is universal above the age of 50 years in north India. Absence of a PTH response was observed in more than 50% of individuals with VDD, the cause of which merits further evaluation. Normal bone mass was observed in only 18.6% of study subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Thyroid Research Centre, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Marwaha
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tandon
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: Ratnesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kanwar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narang
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sastry
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saberwal
authors.forename: Kuntal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bandra
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001132:Arm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D002118:Calcium