title: Prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in Korean patients with anemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated the prevalence and risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in Korean patients with anemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 200 anemic patients and 300 controls. Anemia was defined according to the WHO criteria. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was measured using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. We compared serum 25(OH)D levels based on the presence and subtypes of anemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that 91% (182/200) and 87.3% (262/300) of patients exhibited 25(OH)D inadequacies (<20 ng/ml) in the anemic (median hemoglobin (Hb), 9.6 g/dl) and control groups (median Hb 13.8 g/dl), respectively. The prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency (<12 ng/ml) was significantly higher in the anemic group than in the control group (52.5% (105/200) vs. 25% (75/300), P < 0.0001), with an odds ratio of 3.316 (95% CI, 2.265-4.854; P < 0.0001). The prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency was not different among anemia subtypes. Female gender and high C-reactive protein (CRP) were associated with vitamin D deficiency in anemic group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that vitamin D deficiency is associated with anemia. Therefore, the measurement of serum 25(OH)D levels and appropriate vitamin D supplementation should be considered in anemic patients, particularly in females and patients with high CRP level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Konyang University Hospital, Myunggok Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Hyung
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Hyun-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D014807:Vitamin D; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]; anemia; vitamin D deficiency