Vitamin D levels in persons with traumatic spinal cord injury: a multicentre observational study

Background: According to the published literature, Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in spinal cord injury (SCI). Many studies were done earlier to find out different factors which predispose the SCI population to the risk of vitamin deficiency, but correlation with any such factor is still uncertain. Studies from India are scarce. The present study was conducted in view of this lacuna in existing knowledge in India and in the developing countries, to observe the levels of Vitamin D in traumatic SCI patients admitted for rehabilitation. Methods: In this prospective, observational, multicentre study, all patients admitted consecutively in the three study centres, satisfying the selection criteria were included. The level of 25-OH Vitamin D was assessed by Chemiluminescence procedure. Vitamin D level <20 ng/ml was taken as deficient, 20-29ng/ml as insufficient, ≥30 ng/ml was the optimum and ≥150 ng/ml was taken as toxic level. Results: Among 56 patients of traumatic spinal cord injury who were included in the study, having mean age of 32.32±11.82 years, only 14 (25%) were having optimum Vitamin D level. 25 (45%) subjects were deficient in Vitamin D, whereas 16 (28%) were having insufficient levels. One subject was found to have toxic level of Vitamin D (156 ng/ml). No differences of Vitamin D levels were observed between demographic and clinical groups. Conclusions: Although a high rate of Vitamin D deficiency was encountered in SCI individuals, the role of different factors causing Vitamin D deficiency remains unproven. Also the amount of Vitamin D required to forestall insufficiency is still unknown, indicating a necessity for more studies with well-defined outcome measures.