Vitamin D deficiency in hemodialysis patients

Vitamin D [(25(OH)D] deficiency and insufficiency is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). 25(OH)D has been found to have beneficial effects on bone, cardiovascular and immune functions. There are little data about vitamin D levels in Indian patients on dialysis. This study was undertaken to determine the vitamin D status of Indian CKD patients on hemodialysis.

We included 45 patients on maintenance hemodialysis coming to Medanta, Medicity, Gurgaon. 25(OH)D levels were measured with radioimmunoassay (Diasorin) method and parathyroid hormone (PTH) was measured using electrochemiluminiscence immunoassay (ECLIA).

The mean age of patients was 55 ± 13 years. 32/45 (71%) were males. 23/45 (51%) were diabetics. The median duration of hemodialysis was 5.5 months (range 1-74 months). 33/45 (74%) patients were on thrice weekly hemodialysis. The mean level of vitamin D was 10.14 ± 8.7 ng/ml. Majority of the patients [43/45 (95.5%)] were either vitamin D deficient or had insufficient levels. 40/45 (88.9%) were vitamin D deficient (levels <20 ng/ml); of these, 29/40 (64.4%) had severe vitamin D deficiency (levels <10 ng/ml) and 3/45 (6.7%) had insufficient levels (20-30 ng/ml) of vitamin D. Only 2/45 (4.4%) patients had normal levels of vitamin D. 23/45 (51%) of patients were receiving calcitriol. The mean levels of serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and albumin were 8.8 ± 0.64 mg/dl, 5.0 ± 0.7 mg/dl, 126 ± 10.3 IU/l and 3.6 ± 0.62 g/dl, respectively. PTH levels ranged from 37 to 1066 pg/ml, and the median was 195.8 pg/ml. There was a weak correlation between 25(OH)D levels and weight, sex, hemoglobin, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, and presence of diabetes. There was, however, no correlation with duration of dialysis or PTH levels.

Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are universal in our hemodialysis patients, with severe vitamin D deficiency in two-third of patients.