title: A Semi-Experimental Study to Assess Whether the Current Recommended Protocol for Treating Vitamin D Deficiency is Enough?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Urbanization and diet change have increased the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency. Unfortunately, none of the suggested treatments is widely accepted.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Therefore, we evaluated the most used and suggested protocol for treating Vitamin D deficiency in Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) candidate patients referred to our hospital in a short-term clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with coronary artery disease, referred to our hospital and candidates for PCI (drug eluted stents) were included. Deficient patients were randomly assigned to treatment (Vitamin D3 pearls of 50,000 IU; one per week for 10 weeks then one pearl every month for maintenance) and non-treatment groups. Vitamin D was measured after nine months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After initial evaluation, 116 cases were found to be deficient, and were divided into two equal groups of 58. No significant difference was found between the normal, treated and non-treated groups regarding age and gender. Thirty-two out of 58 (55.1%) subjects were vitamin D deficient and reached normal levels by taking supplements and seven out of 58 (12%) were deficient and reached normal levels without taking supplements, with the difference being significant (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The used protocol is not enough for treating Vitamin D deficiency. Furthermore, the protocol should be revised according to baseline Vitamin D classification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Medical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jozanikohan
authors.affiliation: Atherosclerosis Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Davood
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kazemi Saleh
keywords: Deficiency; Dietary Supplements; Vitamin D