Vitamin D: Prevalence of Deficiency on an Inpatient Pediatric Psychiatry Service. (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gaare, Meghan; Howell, Carolyn; Frosch, Emily
• Is Part Of: Infant, child & adolescent nutrition. Volume 7:Number 6(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 375
• Page End: 380
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: vitamin D -- deficiency -- mental health -- pediatric -- screening; Children -- Nutrition -- Periodicals; Teenagers -- Nutrition -- Periodicals; 613.2083
• DOI: 10.1177/1941406415610000
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1941-4064

Abstract

Objective. This study evaluates the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency on a pediatric psychiatry inpatient unit. Deficiency has been linked to poor general health outcomes including all-cause mortality as well as psychiatric illness such as depression. 1-2 While vitamin D deficiency is common in the United States at large, there is a paucity of data evaluating its prevalence specifically in the pediatric psychiatry population. Method. Vitamin D status, assessed by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level, was obtained on 147 patients as part of routine laboratory blood work on inpatient admission. Low levels were categorized into deficient (<15 ng/mL) or insufficient (15-31 ng/mL). Results. The overall frequency of low vitamin D levels in this population was high, with 85% being insufficient or deficient. Conclusion. A high prevalence of low vitamin D levels was observed in a pediatric psychiatry inpatient sample. This finding highlights an opportunity for potential identification of deficiency/insufficiency at intake for an at-risk population.