title: Hypovitaminosis D: which oral supplement therapy?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  the possible therapeutic role of vitamin D in different kind of diseases explains the growing interest in this vitamin due to its pleiotropic effects. This short report shows preliminary results of prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in a group of patients and proposes a oral supplement therapy effective in correcting hypovitaminosis in a short time, without side effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  243 patients (aged 26-93; 67 males) were enrolled at this study. We evaluated plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] with the following cut-off values: <10 ng/ml or <0-25 nmol/L (deficient), 10-30 ng/ml or 25-75 nmol/L 30-50 (insufficient) and > 30 ng/ml or > 50 nmol/L (normal). The first 73 patients with hypovitaminosis D received at baseline 25,000 IU (Cholecalciferol) per os twice a month (Tp.A). The next patients (Tp.B) at baseline received a loading dose of 50,000 IU once a week for 8 weeks, followed by a maintenance dose of 25,000 IU twice a month.
  
  
  RESULTS
  hypovitaminosis D is a widespread condition (i.e., 82.3%) not only in elderly (75.6% of 75 patients aged <65 yrs and 86.5% of 168 subjects aged >65 yrs). Preliminary results at 6 months show that Tp.B is more effective in correcting hypovitaminosis D (baseline 14.4 ± 5.3 ng/ml; 24 wk 43.3 ± 14.7 ng/ml; p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  hypovitaminosis D is an important public health problem. We believe it is important to quickly achieve normal Vit. D plasma values in order to produce pleiotropic effects.
authors.affiliation: W.Verrusio, M.D. Ph. D. st. walter.verrusio@uniroma1.it tel. +393490745274.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Verrusio
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Andreozzi
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Summa
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Marigliano
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gueli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cacciafesta
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012384:Rome / Q000453:epidemiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D002762:Cholecalciferol; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D