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Hypovitaminosis D in an Italian population of healthy subjects and hospitalized patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Elisabetta Romagnoli ,
Patrizia Caravella ,
Liliana Scarnecchia ,
Paolo Martinez  and
Salvatore Minisola
Elisabetta Romagnoli
Affiliation:
Ospedale San Giovanni Battista, Via L. E. Morselli 48, 00100, Rome, Italy
Patrizia Caravella
Affiliation:
II Clinica Medica, Università degli Studi La Sapienza’, Viale del Policlinico 155,00100, Rome, Italy
Liliana Scarnecchia
Affiliation:
Laboratorio Analisi, Azienda Ospedaliera San Camillo-Forlanini, Via Portuense 332, 00100, Rome, Italy
Paolo Martinez
Affiliation:
Ospedale San Giovanni Battista, Via L. E. Morselli 48, 00100, Rome, Italy
Salvatore Minisola*
Affiliation:
II Clinica Medica, Università degli Studi La Sapienza’, Viale del Policlinico 155,00100, Rome, Italy
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Salvatore Minisola, fax +39 6 6880 3566, email minisola@axrma.uniroma1.it
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Abstract

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The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and seasonal variation of hypovitaminosis D (defined as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level below 30 nmol/l) among healthy subjects and hospitalized patients living in central Italy. We studied 297 subjects, 131 in February 1997 and 166 in July 1997, subdivided into four groups: (a) young healthy blood donors; (b) healthy postmenopausal women; (c) inpatients with various medical diseases and (d) inpatients engaged in long-term rehabilitation programmes because of various neurological disorders. In all subjects and patients serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were measured by radioimmunoassay. We found a significant seasonal variation (P < 0·0001) of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, mean values being higher in summer in all groups, except in patients with a longer hospitalization time (group (d)). In each group, a significantly higher prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was found in winter compared with summer time (P < 0·001), being unexpectedly high in postmenopausal women (winter 32 % and summer 4·5 %); furthermore, in both seasons, inpatients were characterized by the highest incidences of hypovitaminosis, particularly those in group (d) (winter 82·3 % and summer 57·8 %). The results of the present study emphasize the importance of 25-hydroxyvitamin D measurement, and the need to increase vitamin D intake in Italy; foodstuff fortification and supplement use must be considered in order to prevent negative effects of vitamin D deficiency on skeletal integrity.

Keywords

Vitamin DSkeletal integrityHypovitaminosis D
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 81 , Issue 2 , February 1999 , pp. 133 - 137
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1999

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