Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The pleiotropic effects of vitamin D extend to control many physiological and pathophysiological processes in the human body. One of them is involved in the protective process of the nerve cells during stroke as well as pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration <20 ng/ml indicating vitamin D deficiency which is common in Poland. The aim of this study was to estimate serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in acute ischemic strokes’ patients with and without carbohydrate metabolism disturbances in North-Eastern part of Poland.

Materials and methods: We examined 59 patients with acute ischemic cerebral stroke admitted to the Department of Neurology in 2011–2013: 36 with carbohydrate metabolism disturbances and 23 without diabetes and prediabetes. Subjects underwent clinical and anthropometric assessment and blood tests were taken for measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, fasting glucose, creatinine, calcium, and phosphorus.

Results: The mean age of participants was 66.1 (range 42–82). The mean and S.D. of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in strokes’ patient in entire group was very low 8.1±6.8 ng/ml. Mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in patients with carbohydrate metabolism disturbances was also below recommended level: 8.6 ng/ml (S.D. 6.1). Patients without carbohydrate metabolism disturbances had also very low concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 7.2 ng/ml (S.D. 7.7). We did not observe a significant difference between concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in studied groups (P=0.43). Moreover, 50% of the patients had calcium level below the range norm.

Conclusion: Patients with acute ischemic cerebral stroke, with and without carbohydrate metabolism disturbances, should have supplementation of vitamin D, in north-eastern part of Poland.