The Prevalence and the Calcidiol Levels of Vitamin D Deficiency in the Elderly Thai Women in municipality of Khon Kaen Province, Thailand
Abstract
Background: Secondary hyperparathyroidism usually occurs when patients are vitamin D deficient, which in turn is the main cause of femoral osteoporosis. The skin is the organ of ultraviolet stimulated vitamin D production and studies have shown that elderly women with inadequate exposure to sunlight are vitamin D deficient. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the West is 38 to 57%. Thai doctors do not believe Thais, whether elderly or osteoporotic, require vitamin D supplements because Thailand is located in the tropics.
Objectives: Primary: to determine the prevalence and the calcidiol level of vitamin D deficiency in elderly Thai women.
Secondary: to estimate the prevalence of osteoporosis and the correlation to serum calcidiol and serum PTH levels in elderly Thai women.
Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.
Setting: Municipality of Khon Kaen, Khon Kaen province, Thailand.
Outcome Measurements: Serum calcidiol and PTH levels and bone mineral density of the femoral neck.
Results: The mean (±SD) of age, BMI, serum calcidiol and PTH in the elderly Thai women were: 69.26 (6.58) years, 24.18 (6.7) kg/m2, 33.24 (7.12) ng/mL, 32.34 (18.04) pg/mL, respectively. The prevalence of osteoporosis was 38.8%. There was significant inverted linear relationship between the serum calcidiol and PTH levels (r=-0.421, p<0.001). The serum calcidiol level of vitamin D deficiency was £ 35 ng/mL, prevalence 66.3%.
Conclusion: The belief that Thais are not vitamin D deficient should be reconsidered, especially in elderly women. And the multicenter study to find out the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Thai population should be performed. Vitamin D supplements are necessary for elderly women especially with osteoporosis.
KEY WORDS: Prevalence, vitamin D deficiency, calcidiol level, elderly women.
