title: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D Insufficiency in B-Chronic Lymphoid Leukemia at the Time of Disease Presentation in Pakistan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D insufficiency is very common in Pakistan and is often related to inferior prognosis in some cancers but limited data exist for hematopoietic malignancies. This study was conducted to determine the vitamin D insufficiency in B-chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL) cases at the time of presentation and its possible correlation with clinical staging, hematological parameters and biochemical markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive cross sectional study was carried at Liaquat National Hospital from January 2011 to June 2013. Sixty patients with B-chronic lymphoid leukemia were enrolled. Complete blood count, vitamin D levels, serum urea, creatinine, uric acid and LDH levels were assessed. Data were compiled and analyzed using SPSS version 21.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 60 patients, 42 (70%) were male and 18 (30%) were female. Mean age was 59.0±9.2 years. The frequency of vitamin D insufficiency was found to be 56.7%. Overall insufficiency was more frequently seen in male gender (40%). Vitamin D insufficiency demonstrated a positive association with low lactate dehydrogenase levels (P=0.005). No links were established with age, clinical stage, hematological and other biochemical markers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D insufficiency is high compared with Western studies. Whether normalization of vitamin D insufficiency in deficient B-CLL patients could improve the clinical outcome or delay disease progression will require further studies.
authors: Hematology Department, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan E-mail : saira.parveen@lnh.edu.pk.
authors: Saira
authors: S
authors: Parveen
authors: Rozina
authors: R
authors: Zeeshan
authors: Sadia
authors: S
authors: Sultan
authors: Syed Mohammad
authors: SM
authors: Irfan
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase