Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency is very common in our population.It is not clear which is the most effective vitamin D dosing regimen in patients with deficiency.

Objective: To compare two vitamin D supplementation regimen in patients with vitamin D deficiency.

Material and methods: This is an interventional study: Patients atended in our clinic during May and June 2017 with 25-Hydroxyvitamin D below 30 ng/ml were consecutively selected and supplemented with two types of régimen.Regimen 1:one weekly calcifediol capsules during a month and then 1 capsule monthly for 2 more months (total 3 months) and Regimen 2: 1 weekly hydroferol capsule for one month and then monthly for 5 more months (total 6 months). Each capsule contains 0.266 mg of calcifediol(15.960 IU of vitamin D). In addition, everyone was given dietary advice to increase their vitamin D intake.Half of the patients with levels between 10 and 30 ng/ml were supplemented with regimen 1 and the other half with regimen 2. All patients with levels below 10 ng/ml were given the régimen 2. Vitamin D levels were checked after 6 months.

Results: Data were obtained from 40 patients, mean age 60.7+/−14.5 years(28–86), Mean diagnosis were:47.5% Diabetes/Obesity/dyslipidemia, 35%Thyroid/Pituitary disease,17.5%Malnutrition. Baseline mean 25-Hydroxyvitamin D levels were:15.4+/−4.9(3–23.8) ng/ml and after treatment:33.5+/−13.8 ng/ml(13.4–65,1) (P<0.05),with a mean rise of 12.9 ng/ml for patients supplemented with regimen 1 and 21.49 ng/ml for regimen 2(P<0,05). Baseline deficiency percentage: levels lower than 10 ng/ml, 10–20 and 20–30 ng/ml: 20.5%, 61.5% and 17.9% respectively. After treatment: 10–20, 20–30 and above 30 ng/ml:21.4%,25% and 53.6%. After 6 months 25% of those treated with regimen 1 achieved levels above 30 ng/ml vs the group with regimen 2, which 75% achieved levels higher than 30 ng/ml (P<0.05). With régimen 2, only 40% of patients with baseline levels lower than 10 ng/ml achieved 30 ng/ml vs 100% of patients with baseline levels 10–30 ng/ml (P<0.05).

Conclusions: In patients with non-severe vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency (10–30 ng/ml) supplementation régimen with 16,000 IU of calcifediol weekly during 1 month and then monthly during 5 months achieve 100% of vitamin D sufficiency (25-Hydroxyvitamin D >30 ng/ml). Patients with severe vitamin D deficiency need other regimens with more doses.