Husain NE, Badie Suliman AA, Abdelrahman I, Bedri SA, Musa RM, Osman HE, Mustafa AH, Gafer N, Farah E, Satir AA, Ahmed MH, Osman M, Khalil AA, Agaimy A. Vitamin D level and its determinants among Sudanese Women: Does it matter in a sunshine African Country?
J Family Med Prim Care 2019;
8:2389-2394. [PMID:
31463263 PMCID:
PMC6691462 DOI:
10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_247_19]
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Abstract
Background:
Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide concern. The aim of the current study was to determine the vitamin D level and its contributing factors in Sudanese women.
Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, 251 Sudanese women attending Family Health Centers in Khartoum, Sudan were interviewed. Following the exclusion of confounding factors, samples from 190 women were analzsed. Serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D “25(OH) D” was quantified using competitive electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.
Results:
Participants’ age ranged from 18 to 85 years with a mean age (±SD) of 40.2 (±14.06) years. The mean (±SD) vitamin D level was 13.4 (±6.72) ng/ml, ranged 3.00–36.5 ng/ml and the median was 12.7 ng/mL. In total, 157 out of 190 (82.6%) had vitamin D serum levels below 20 ng/ml (deficient); of whom, 52 (27.4%) were in the age group 21–30 years (P value = 0.228). The correlation between vitamin D level and residence outside Khartoum, sun-exposed face and hands, and face and limbs in comparison with being completely covered were found to be statistically significant (p values 0.008, 0.023, and 0.036).
Conclusion:
This study displayed a high percentage (82.6%.) of vitamin D deficiency among women in Sudan, and this in part may indicate that sunshine alone cannot guarantee vitamin D sufficiency in the tropics. Family physicians in tropical countries should screen those with clinical presentations related to vitamin D deficiency.
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