SERUM VITAMIN D3 LEVELS IN A CROSS SECTION OF POPULATION ATTENDING OPD AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN DEHRADUN, UTTARAKHAND.

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency is not very common since it can be synthesised in the body in adequate amounts by simple exposure to sunlight even for 10 minutes every day. It may be seen in people who are bedridden for long periods, strict vegetarians, chronic alcoholics and person suffering from severe liver and kidney diseases or fat Malabsorption syndromes. Vitamin D is also involved in some function in addition to calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. Receptors for calcitriol occur in many other tissues such as the parathyroid gland, islet of pancreas, myeloid stem cells in bone marrow and keratinocytes of skin. Vitamin D seems to be involved in cell differentiation, both in normal and malignant tissues. It also stimulates the production of cytokines thus playing a role in immunomodulation. Adequate intake of vitamin D is beneficial in reducing the risk of certain autoimmune disease. In our study total 830 patients participated, there were 340 males and 490 females. Among these patients 23.73% were having adequate level, 19.27% having insufficient vitamin D levels, 53.97% having severe deficiency of vitamin D and 3.01% are having toxicity to Vitamin D. Present study concludes that Vitamin D levels was deficient in Dehradun, Uttarakhand region of India.