Vitamin d deficiency in e.N.T. Patients

A prospective study to observe the prevalence of deficiency of vitamin D in out patients of otolaryngology clinic at Indian Institute of ear diseases, Muzaffarnagar. The patients attending outpatient of otolaryngology clinic with various complaints and not responding to conventional treatment were advised for assessment of vitamin D [25 (OH)D] level in blood. The age, sex, occupation, colour of skin, chief complaints, obesity, provisional diagnosis, and incidence of sun exposure was noted in all cases. A total of 86 patients were examined, maximum patients were in the age group of 7-15 years. The chief complaints in majority of the patients were sore throat with recurrent upper respiratory tract infection. Only in three patient's vitamin D level was found to be with in normal limits. In rest 83 (96.51 %) it was either deficient 57 (66.28 %) or insufficient 21 (24.42 %). The incidence of vitamin D deficiency is extremely common in Ear Nose Throat disease (E.N.T.) patients. The results of vitamin supplementation were promising in cases of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo with cervical spondylosis and URTI with asthma, empirical supplementation of vitamin D in all E.N.T. patients not responding to conventional treatment is worth trying. At place of sun screen, use of pomegranates and blueberries may be encouraged to prevent sunburn and eliminate Vitamin D deficiency.