PLASMA VITAMIN D TRENDS ACROSS VARIOUS AGE GROUPS IN THE COSMOPOLITAN CITY OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Vitamin D belongs to a group of fat-soluble pro-hormones that can be
generated from a precursor underneath the skin, 7-dehydrocholesterol, which yields vitamin D3
(cholecalciferol). OBJECTIVES: Measure the plasma vitamin D level trends among various age
groups. The study further identified the age group with the highest number of optimum plasma
vitamin D levels. METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional study was completed from June 2020
through August 2022. All samples were obtained from the population of various areas within
Lahore, one of the cosmopolitan cities of Pakistan. A 5 ml venous blood from 2661 participants
was drawn to measure plasma vitamin D levels. The participants’ age was divided into seven
groups and was further stratified into male and female groups. Vitamin D levels were
categorized on standard criteria as optimum, mildly deficient, severely deficient, excess, and
toxic. The blood samples were analyzed in an ISO-certified laboratory. RESULTS: We enrolled
2661 participants. The highest percentage of vitamin D deficiency was reported in group-3 (21-
30 years; 39.3%). With regards to gender, among males, group one (1-10 years; 24.2%) was
found to be most deficient in vitamin D. Further, the optimum plasma levels of vitamin D among
females with the highest percentage of vitamin D was in group seven (above 60 years; 25.7%)
and group one (1-10 years; 18.9%) among males. CONCLUSION: Our results revealed that the
most vulnerable age group with severe vitamin D deficiency was the young age group females
(39.3%), and the optimum level was reported in older females (25%), and among males, vitamin
D deficiency was detected among older age groups (13.7%) and the optimum level was noticed
in younger males. Further studies are required to elucidate the probable causes of severe vitamin
D deficiency.