International Journal of Medicine Research

Authors
Dr. Rami MA Al-Hayali, Dr. Hamid Rija Hamid Al-Aboosh, Dr. Nabil Ahmed Dawood Altaee

Abstract
Background: Inadequate serum vitamin D [25(OH) D] concentrations are associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism, increased bone turnover and bone loss, which increase fracture risk in osteoporotic patients. Vitamin D status is determined by measuring the level of 25(OH) D in the serum and can be described as deficient, insufficient, normal and high. Objective: The aim of this research was to determine the status of vitamin D in patients who have been recently given the diagnosis of osteoporosis, the adequacy of any vitamin D replacement and to correlate the status of vitamin D with bone mineral density (BMD). The study also aimed to screen for symptoms and signs of overt osteomalacia in these patients. Patients and Methods: The research included 88 subjects (82 females and 6 males) at the time of confirming the diagnosis of osteoporosis. All the participates were sent for level of serum 25(OH) D as well as the levels of other biochemical bone profile (serum calcium, serum phosphorus and serum alkaline phosphatase). Their bone mineral density on the lumbar spine was measured by DEXA densitometer. Results: The mean age of the patients (±SD) was 64.42 years (± 8.670). The mean (±SD) of their T-score was - 2.922 (±0.493). The mean (±SD) of 25(OH) D level was 23.38 ngm/ml (±17.1). In the whole study subjects, the prevalence of 25(OH) D inadequacy was 68.2 % when considering cutoffs of 30 ngm/ml. Subjects who used vitamin D supplement had higher concentration of 25(OH) D than non-users. None of the patients had symptoms and signs of overt or even latent tetany and none of them had frank clinical or radiological features of osteomalacia.