scholarly journals Vitamin D deficiency Crisis in Egypt

2021 ◽  
Vol 156 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S36-S36
Author(s):  
M Abdelmonem ◽  
A Elhusseny ◽  
H Wasim ◽  
M Shedid ◽  
A S Boraik

Abstract Introduction/Objective Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide health problem. Even with the latest medical technology worldwide, vitamin D deficiency is still an ignored epidemic. More than a billion people globally are vitamin D deficient or insufficient. Vitamin D is essential for strong bones as it is responsible for the absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate in the human body. It is essential for building the human immune system and legalizing cell growth. Vitamin D deficiency can result in muscle vulnerability, pain, tiredness, and depression. Severe Vitamin D deficiency can cause Rickets disease. Objectives This study aims to predict the percentage of vitamin D deficiency in Egypt. Methods/Case Report A total of 498 subjects were enrolled in this study from the Cairo region in Egypt; 203 (41%) were male, 260 (52%) were female, and 35 (7%) were children with a median age of 36.2 years, 36.7 years and 5.3 years respectively. A fully automated chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer (CLIA) was used to measure Vitamin D in all subjects’ specimens. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) The overall prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency was 90.09%. Among the 498 patients, 453 patients (90.09%) were Vitamin D deficient (less than 30 ng/ml), while 45 patients (9.03%) of the patients were within the normal Vitamin D range. It was observed that 192 patients (94.54%) of males,237 patients (91.15%) of females, and 11patients (31.42%) of children were Vitamin D deficient. Furthermore, 11 patients (5.41%) of males, 23 patients (8.84%) of females, and 23 patients 65.71% of children are within the normal Vitamin D range. Conclusion Our findings reveal a significant frequency of vitamin D deficiency in Egypt. Inadequate sun exposure, Insufficient dietary calcium, gastrointestinal disorders, renal diseases, and liver diseases contribute to vitamin D deficiency. We recommend that the Egyptian Health ministry launch an awareness campaign for the severe Vitamin D deficiency in Egypt.

QJM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R M Botros ◽  
N M Elbarbary ◽  
A M Bahaaeldin ◽  
H F Abdelshakour

Abstract Background Vitamin D plays an essential role in calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. Recent evidence suggests that vitamin D may also be important for a variety of non-skeletal outcomes including neuromuscular function, immunomodulation, and control of other hormonal system. It is well known that exposure of skin to direct sunlight is the most important source of vitamin D, so that according to many causes like fear of skin cancer, traditional clothing and spending most of the time indoors many Egyptian girls are exposed to vitamin D deficiency. Hypovitaminosis D is a widespread disorder in developing countries across all age groups, regardless of their latitude. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the magnitude of vitamin D deficiency/sufficiency in a sample of Egyptian boys children. Subjects and Methods The present study was conducted on 80 boys age from (2-10) years old randomly selected from outpatient clinic of Ain Shams University and their healthy relative. We excluded girls, boys whose age<2 years or > 10 years, boys suffering from chronic illness or on drugs as corticosteroid and anti-epileptic drugs. Results The results demonstrate that all boys studied have vitamin D deficiency with (36.25%of them with mild vitamin D deficiency, 46.25%of them have moderate vitamin D deficiency, and 17.50% of them have severe vitamin D deficiency. There was positive correlation between vitamin D and sun exposure.


2011 ◽  
Vol 152 (32) ◽  
pp. 1272-1277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barna Vásárhelyi ◽  
Anna Sátori ◽  
Ferenc Olajos ◽  
András Szabó ◽  
Gabriella Bekő

Even in developed countries the prevalence of subjects with suboptimal vitamin D levels is high. The aim of this retrospective data analysis was to evaluate the prevalence of severe and moderate vitamin D deficiencies (defined as vitamin D levels <15 ng/ml and 15–30 ng/ml, respectively) among patients evaluated at Semmelweis University during a period between April, 2009 and March, 2010. Methods and results: The average vitamin D level of 5808 subjects (3936 women and 1872 men) was 25.5 ± 10.9 ng/ml. The prevalence of moderate and severe vitamin D deficiency in whole population was 72% and 12%, respectively. Higher than normal vitamin D levels were measured in 0.8% of subjects. Female gender, older age and winter season were independent risk factors for vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D levels were measured repeatedly in 1307 subjects. Interestingly, vitamin D levels measured later were lower compared to those measured at the first time (27.07±13.2 vs. 25.9±9.11 ng/ml, p < 0.001). The prevalence of severe and moderate vitamin D deficiency was 8.1 and 71.5 per cent when vitamin D levels were measured at the second time. Of the 110 patients with severe vitamin D deficiency measured repeatedly only 11 patients (10%) presented with normal vitamin D levels at the second time. Conclusions: These data indicate that severe and moderate vitamin D deficiencies are common in patients evaluated at Semmelweis University. Repeated measurements of vitamin D levels raise the notion that the efficacy of supplementation used for correction of vitamin D levels is not optimal. Orv. Hetil., 2011, 152, 1272–1277.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 305-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atieh Amouzegar ◽  
Freidoun Azizi ◽  
Sepideh Ashrafivand ◽  
Zahra Ahi ◽  
Masoomeh Saleh ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Calcium and vitamin D deficiency is common among Iranian women of childbearing age and poses adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes. The aim of the current study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D and calcium in a sample of Iranian pregnant women and to assess its correlation with the feto-maternal outcomes. METHODS: In this prospective cross-sectional study, a sample of pregnant women between 15 to 45 years who were in the third trimester were recruited from a number of hospitals in Tehran. Data were collected by the means of a self-developed questionnaire, interviews, physical examination, and paraclinical tests including measuring the serum level of calcium, vitamin D, parathormone (PTH) and phosphorous (Pi). The questionnaire obtained information on age, level of education, socio-economic status, parity, gravidity, calcium intake during pregnancy, as well as feto-maternal outcomes. RESULTS: We included a total number of 233 singleton pregnancies. Most of the subjects (58.4%) had vitamin D deficiency and 12.0% suffered from severe vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency was adversely associated with the years of education (p= 0.007), serum level of parathormone (p< 0.001). The Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) (p< 0.001), the exercise sequence per week (p< 0.001), sun exposure (p< 0.001), higher rate of sunscreen usage (p= 0.011) and higher BMI (p= 0.005). Vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher rate of cesarean delivery (p= 0.024), higher rate of diastolic hypertension (p= 0.019), higher rate of neonatal jaundice (p= 0.009) and higher rate of neonatal respiratory infections (p< 0.001). Serum level of PTH was a significant risk factor for severe vitamin D deficiency while calcium D supplementation, MET and sunscreen were significant protective factors. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy among Iranian women is extremely high and is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes including cesarean delivery, neonatal jaundice and neonatal respiratory infections. Low vitamin D supplementation and sun exposure, lack of physical activity and high BMI are the etiologies. Increasing the knowledge along with vitamin D supplementation during the pregnancy is recommended in Iranian population.


2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 7-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Z Nurlygayanov ◽  
E R Syrtlanova

Objectives. To study the vitamin D levels in the period of minimal sun exposure in individuals older than 50 years residing in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Materials and methods. In the period of low insolation (March) in 188 people (68 men and 120 women) aged over 50 years (mean age 66,1 ± 0,75 years) residing in the city (Ufa) and rural areas of the Republic of Bashkortostan we investigated the levels of 25 (OH) D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) by the indirect ELISA. Level of 25 (OH) D 25-50 nmol/l were considered as mild vitamin D deficiency; 12,5-25 nmol/l-as moderate deficiency, and levels below 12.5 nmol/l - as a severe vitamin D deficiency. Results. The average level of 25 (OH) D was 33,55 ± 1,28 nmol/l; in urban area 43,48 ± 1,59 nmol/l; in rural area 21,25 ± 1,06 nmol/l; 36,29±2,43 nmol/l in men; 32,28± 1,47 nmol/l in women. The levels of vitamin D in the urban population were twice as high as in rural areas. A statistically significant difference by gender in terms of the levels of vitamin D was not found. We saw normal levels of vitamin D only in 18 % of subjects (in the city- 30 %, in the rural areas - 2 %), 43 % of people had a mild vitamin D deficiency (in the city - 59 %, in rural areas - 24 %), 33 % - a moderate deficiency of vitamin D (in the city -11 %, in the rural areas - 60 %), and 6 % of the patients had a severe vitamin D deficiency (in the city - 0 %, in rural areas -14 %). Moderate to severe vitamin D deficiency in rural areas was significantly more prevalent (74 %) than in urban (11 %). Gender was not found to be a risk factor for the development of vitamin D deficit in people over 50 years. There was a negative correlation between vitamin D levels and patient age (r=-0,356, p <0,001) and between levels of vitamin D andPTH (r =-0,313, p <0.001).


2015 ◽  
Vol 85 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 23-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aneta Aleksova ◽  
Rita Belfiore ◽  
Cosimo Carriere ◽  
Salam Kassem ◽  
Salvatore La Carrubba ◽  
...  

Abstract. Background: Hypovitaminosis D is a vitamin deficiency that has been increasing in developed countries; it was also suggested as an emerging risk factor for developing of atherosclerosis and acute myocardial infarction. The primary source of vitamin D is its cutaneous synthesis under exposure to sunlight. It has been suggested that 30 min of sun exposure twice weekly leads to sufficient vitamin D synthesis. The residents of Trieste (Italy) are well-known for their high exposure to sunlight in all seasons. We aimed to investigate the vitamin D status in subjects with acute myocardial infarction living in this area. Methods: Vitamin D status was identified in 478 subjects diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction. Results: The median serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration was 14.5 [7.8 - 22.7] ng/mL. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were present in 324 (68 %) and 107 (22 %) subjects, respectively. Vitamin D deficiency was less frequent among subjects enrolled in the period from July to the end of September (p < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis vitamin D deficiency was predicted by older age (p = 0.02), female gender (p = 0.002), higher body mass index (p = 0.05), autumn/winter sampling (p < 0.001), increased parathyroid hormone (p = 0.03) and alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.003). Conclusions: We observed very high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among subjects with myocardial infarction in all seasons of enrollment. However, it was lower in the summer when sun exposure is higher. The exposure to sunlight may be a cost-saving therapeutic strategy for the management of vitamin D deficiency.


2008 ◽  
Vol 47 (01) ◽  
pp. 01-07 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Thoma ◽  
M. Dietlein ◽  
D. Moka ◽  
W. Eschner ◽  
M. Faust ◽  
...  

SummaryAim of the study was to analyse the influence of a concomitant vitamin D deficiency on the results of 99mTc-MIBI studies in patients (pts) with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). Patients, methods: Between January 1998 and May 2004, 71 pts with pHPT had undergone operation after a 99mTc-MIBI study of whom 54 pts (76%) had normal values of 25-OH-vitamin D3 and 17 pts (24%) had vitamin D deficiency. Results of a dual-phase 99mTc-MIBI protocol with SPECT were compared with histopathology. Results: In 54 pts with normal vitamin D values late SPECT images identified more lesions (n = 51, sensitivity 91%) than early planar (n = 45, sensitivity 82%) or late planar images (n = 50, sensitivity 88%). In 17 pts with vitamin D deficiency late SPECT images identified more lesions (n = 13, sensitivity 72%) than early planar (n = 10, sensitivity 56%) or late planar images (n = 10, sensitivity 56%) too. In pts with vitamin D deficiency the sensitivity of a 99mTc-MIBI SPECT study was lower than in those with normal vitamin D status (72% vs. 91%) and dependent on the value for PTH. However, the results did not reach statistical significance: early planar: p = 0.1625; late planar: p = 0.0039; 99mTc-MIBI SPECT: p = 0.1180. Conclusion: The likelihood of a pathological 99mTc-MIBI study being obtained in pts with pHPT is dependent on the parathyroid hormone level. However, a negative influence of a low vitamin D level on the scintigraphic detection rate of a parathyroid adenoma could not be proven which may be due to the low number of pts with vitamin D deficiency.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 2896
Author(s):  
Armin Zittermann ◽  
Christian Trummer ◽  
Verena Theiler-Schwetz ◽  
Elisabeth Lerchbaum ◽  
Winfried März ◽  
...  

During the last two decades, the potential impact of vitamin D on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been rigorously studied. Data regarding the effect of vitamin D on CVD risk are puzzling: observational data indicate an inverse nonlinear association between vitamin D status and CVD events, with the highest CVD risk at severe vitamin D deficiency; however, preclinical data and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) show several beneficial effects of vitamin D on the surrogate parameters of vascular and cardiac function. By contrast, Mendelian randomization studies and large RCTs in the general population and in patients with chronic kidney disease, a high-risk group for CVD events, largely report no significant beneficial effect of vitamin D treatment on CVD events. In patients with rickets and osteomalacia, cardiovascular complications are infrequently reported, except for an increased risk of heart failure. In conclusion, there is no strong evidence for beneficial vitamin D effects on CVD risk, either in the general population or in high-risk groups. Whether some subgroups such as individuals with severe vitamin D deficiency or a combination of low vitamin D status with specific gene variants and/or certain nutrition/lifestyle factors would benefit from vitamin D (metabolite) administration, remains to be studied.


2021 ◽  
pp. 205141582199360
Author(s):  
Ghanshyam Kumawat ◽  
Vijay Chaudhary ◽  
Anurag Garg ◽  
Nishkarsh Mehta ◽  
Gagan Talwar ◽  
...  

Objective: We aimed to find out the association of low serum vitamin D levels with the incidence of prostate cancer through a prospective case-control study. Material and methods: This study was carried out in the tertiary care hospital (India). All newly diagnosed patients of prostate cancer and age-matched controls were included. Serum vitamin D levels were measured in all of them. Vitamin D status (ng/mL) was classified as severe deficiency <10, moderate deficiency 10–<30, normal 30–100, and toxicity >100. Normality of the data was tested by the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, statistical analysis was done with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26.0, p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: In our study, 320 cases and 320 controls were included. The mean vitamin D levels in cases and controls were 15.71 ± 6.5 (ng/mL) and 17.63 ± 4.54 (ng/mL), respectively, ( p-Value <0.01). Patients with severe vitamin D deficiency (73.58%) had a Gleason score ⩾8 on biopsy and 79.24% of them had a serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level >20 ng/mL. Conclusion: We had concluded that there was no significant association between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of prostate cancer, although patients with higher-grade prostate cancer and with higher PSA level had severe vitamin D deficiency. Level of evidence: Not applicable for this multicentre audit.


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