Abstract
OBJECTIVES: the possible therapeutic role of vitamin D in different kind of diseases explains the growing interest in this vitamin due to its pleiotropic effects. This short report shows preliminary results of prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in a group of patients and proposes a oral supplement therapy effective in correcting hypovitaminosis in a short time, without side effects. METHODS: 243 patients (aged 26-93; 67 males) were enrolled at this study. We evaluated plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] with the following cut-off values: <10 ng/ml or <0-25 nmol/L (deficient), 10-30 ng/ml or 25-75 nmol/L 30-50 (insufficient) and > 30 ng/ml or > 50 nmol/L (normal). The first 73 patients with hypovitaminosis D received at baseline 25,000 IU (Cholecalciferol) per os twice a month (Tp.A). The next patients (Tp.B) at baseline received a loading dose of 50,000 IU once a week for 8 weeks, followed by a maintenance dose of 25,000 IU twice a month. RESULTS: hypovitaminosis D is a widespread condition (i.e., 82.3%) not only in elderly (75.6% of 75 patients aged <65 yrs and 86.5% of 168 subjects aged >65 yrs). Preliminary results at 6 months show that Tp.B is more effective in correcting hypovitaminosis D (baseline 14.4 ± 5.3 ng/ml; 24 wk 43.3 ± 14.7 ng/ml; p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: hypovitaminosis D is an important public health problem. We believe it is important to quickly achieve normal Vit. D plasma values in order to produce pleiotropic effects.