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Assessing the status of vitamin D in a family medicine clinic in the fall
Author(s) -
Khandalavala Birgit
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.112.3
Subject(s) - medicine , vitamin d and neurology , vitamin d deficiency , ambulatory , population , vitamin , sun exposure , pediatrics , environmental health , dermatology
Objective To determine the status of Vitamin D in patients presenting to a suburban family medicine clinic among life‐stage groups in the fall. Background Vitamin D deficiency has been reportedly low in most of the US population with the majority, up to 78% of the population having inadequate levels due to low dietary intake and limited sun exposure. Depending on the cutoffs, the low status is found to vary and 25 ‐hydroxyvitamin D levels of 35‐40 ng/ml are hence considered adequate and a reasonable goal. Methods Retrospective review of 73 ambulatory patients presenting to a suburban family medicine clinic in a Midwest city at latitude 41° were evaluated for their vitamin D status using the 25‐hydroxyvitamin D concentration and were grouped into 3 lifestages of 20‐49, 50‐69 and greater than 70 years of age. The Vitamin D levels were recorded in the fall when the level after the summer sun exposure should be at their highest. The results of Vitamin D levels were delineated as 0‐11 ng/mL, 12‐19 ng/mL, 20‐31 ng/mL, and above 32 ng/mL. None of the patients were housebound or incapacitated. Results A majority of the patients were found to have Vitamin D levels that were low‐ only 14 out of the 73 or 19.17%, had a level of optimum Vitamin D of greater than 32 ng/mL, with the large majority, 80.93%, being low. Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency was confirmed to be endemic and universal across the life‐stages with the older cohort having less deficiency, probably as a result of more supplementation with increasing age and/or time for sun exposure. Younger cohorts had surprisingly the most severe deficiency probably as a result of limited sun exposure. The prevalence of low levels in the fall, following usual maximum sun exposure over the summer months indicates that the prevalence probably can be suspected to be more pronounced and that programs for widespread supplementation will be required across all age groups to optimize vitamin D status.