Vitamin D deficiency is common in psychogeriatric patients, independent of diagnosis
Ole Grønli, Jan Magnus Kvamme, Rolf Jorde and Rolf Wynn
BMC Psychiatry 2014, 14:134 doi:10.1186/1471-244X-14-134, Published: 8 May 2014
Background
Previous studies have found an association between psychiatric disorders and vitamin D deficiency, but most studies have focused on depression. This study aimed to establish the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in elderly patients with a wider range of psychiatric diagnoses.
Method
The study included elderly patients (>64 years) referred to a psychiatric hospital in Northern Norway and a control group from a population survey in the same area. An assessment of psychiatric and cognitive symptoms and diagnoses was conducted using the Montgomery and Aasberg Depression Rating Scale, the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, the Mini Mental State Examination, the Clockdrawing Test, and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI+), as well as clinical interviews and a review of medical records. The patients' mean level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency were compared with those of a control group, and a comparison of vitamin D deficiency across different diagnostic groups was also made. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25(OH)D <50 nmol/L (<20 ng/ml).
Results
The mean levels of 25(OH)D in the patient group (n = 95) and the control group (n = 104) were 40.5 nmol/L and 65.9 nmol/L (p < 0.001), respectively. A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was found in the patient group compared with the control group (71.6% and 20.0%, respectively; p < 0.001). After adjusting for age, gender, season, body mass index, and smoking, vitamin D deficiency was still associated with patient status (OR: 12.95, CI (95%): 6.03-27.83, p < 0.001). No significant differences in the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency were found between patients with different categories of psychiatric diagnoses, such as depression, bipolar disorders, psychosis, and dementia.
Conclusion
Vitamin D deficiency is very common among psychogeriatric patients, independent of diagnostic category. Even though the role of vitamin D in psychiatric disorders is still not clear, we suggest screening for vitamin D deficiency in this patient group due to the importance of vitamin D for overall health.
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See also VitaminDWiki
- Overview Alzheimer's-Cognition and Vitamin D
- Vitamin D reduces Alzheimer’s disease in at least 11 ways – Jan 2013
- "Senior moment" 25X more likely with low vitamin D - Feb 2012
- Short-term memory 2X better for those who took slightly more vitamin D 14 years before – Sept 2014
- "Senior moment" 25X more likely with low vitamin D - Feb 2012 -also authored by Annweiler
- Cognitive Impairment 2.4X more likely if low vitamin D – meta-analysis July 2012
- Visual memory improved a bit by vitamin D if start with less than 30 ng – RCT Jan 2017
- Senior cognition improved somewhat by 4,000 IU of Vitamin D (if initially less than 30 ng) – RCT April 2017
- Better memory if take lots of vitamin D (senior rats) – May 2015
- Slower cognitive decline if higher vitamin D (1500 adults, 5 years) – Feb 2018
- Poor cognition 26 percent more likely if low Vitamin D (29 studies) – meta-analysis July 2017