Korean J Hosp Palliat Care.
2014 Mar;17(1):27-33. 10.14475/kjhpc.2014.17.1.27.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Related Factors in Patients at a Hospice
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Family Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea. spfe0211@hanmail.net
- 2Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.
- 3Department of Statistics, Dongguk University, Seoul, Korea.
- 4Department of Family Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea. younseon@korea.ac.kr
- 5Ucell Clinic, Seoul, Korea.
- KMID: 1981031
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.14475/kjhpc.2014.17.1.27
Abstract
- PURPOSE
Although vitamin D deficiency is more commonly found in cancer patient than in non-cancer patients, there have been little data regarding the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in cancer patients at the very end of life. We examined vitamin D deficiency in terminally ill cancer patients and related factors.
METHODS
This study was based on a retrospective chart review of 133 patients in a hospice ward. We collected data regarding age, sex, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level, cancer type, physical performance, current medications and various laboratory findings. We investigated factors related to serum vitamin D levels after multivariate adjustment for potential confounders. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D<20 ng/mL was considered deficient and <10 ng/mL severely deficient.
RESULTS
Ninety-five percent of the patients were serum vitamin D deficient. Severe vitamin D deficiency was more common in male patients, non-lung cancer patients, H2 blocker users and non-anticonvulsant users. Elevated levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were also associated with low serum vitamin D levels. Multiple regression analysis showed that severe vitamin D deficiency was associated with male gender (aOR 3.82, 95% CI: 1.50~9.72, P=0.005), H2 blocker users (aOR 3.94, 95% CI: 1.61~9.65, P=0.003) and elevated serum ALT levels (aOR 4.52, 95% CI: 1.35~15.19, P=0.015).
CONCLUSION
Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent among terminally ill cancer patients. Severe vitamin D deficiency was more common in male patients, H2 blocker users, and patients with elevated ALT levels.
