Vitamin D levels in primary care patients: correlations with clinical, seasonal, and quality-of-life parameters.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Cross-sectional
- Sample Size
- 389
- Population
- 389 consecutive primary care patients in Greece; grouped by vitamin D status (<20 ng/mL deficient vs ≥20 ng/mL sufficient); 50.4% had vitamin D deficiency
- Intervention
- Vitamin D levels in primary care patients: correlations with clinical, seasonal, and quality-of-life parameters. None
- Comparator
- Vitamin D sufficient group (≥20 ng/mL)
- Primary Outcome
- Associations between vitamin D deficiency and clinical parameters including sleepiness, depression, and fatigue in primary care patients
- Effect Direction
- Negative
- Risk of Bias
- Moderate
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency varies across countries and few data exist in the adult population in Greece. OBJECTIVES: To assess vitamin D levels in unselected patients from primary care and to investigate possible correlations with clinical, seasonal, and quality-of-life parameters. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 389 consecutive patients were included. They were grouped according to vitamin D status as vitamin D deficient (<20 ng/mL) and vitamin D sufficient groups (≥20 ng/mL). Demographic, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) scores were measured and compared between groups. RESULTS: Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) was observed in 50.4% of the cohort. Female gender (76% vs 66%, P = 0.026), obesity (42% vs 26%, P = 0.005), and hypertension (55% vs 43%, P = 0.023) were higher in the vitamin D deficiency group compared with the group without deficiency. After multiparametric adjustments (for age, gender, obesity, comorbidities, and seasonality), hypertension (odds ratio [OR] = 2.338, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.257-4.349, P = 0.007), excessive daytime sleepiness (ESS >10; OR = 3.345, 95% CI = 1.124-9.948, P = 0.029), depressive symptoms (BDI >10; OR = 3.769, 95% CI = 0.984-14.443, P = 0.04), and fatigue (FSS >36; OR = 7.157, 95% CI = 0.855-59.877, P = 0.04) showed significant independent associations with vitamin D deficiency in specific subgroups of patients. CONCLUSION: A large proportion of patients in primary care had vitamin D deficiency, independently associated with hypertension, sleepiness, depressive symptoms, and fatigue. Further research is needed in order to determine the role of vitamin D in these patients.
TL;DR
A large proportion of patients in primary care had vitamin D deficiency, independently associated with hypertension, sleepiness, depressive symptoms, and fatigue, and further research is needed to determine the role of vitamin D in these patients.