Prevalence and Risk Factors for Vitamin D Insufficiency among Adults with Epilepsy at University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D is essential for bone physical condition, and vitamin D insufficiency may add to further autoimmune diseases, infections or even cancer. Enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs have been predominantly linked with osteoporosis hazard proved their impacts on vitamin D. The study aim was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency and the covariates associated with it among the adult epileptic patients attending King Fahd neurology outpatient clinics.
 Subjects and Methods: 297 adult epilepsy patients joined this cross-sectional study at King Fahd Hospital in 2017. Vitamin D level was considered as deficiency (<10ng/ml), insufficiency (<30ng/ml), or normal (≥30ng/ml). Antiepileptic drugs were sorted out according to their enzyme inducing criteria.
 Results: 87.88% adult epileptic patients were between 18 – 50 years of age, more than half were females, married, and with higher degree of education, less than half received monthly income of less than 5,000 SR, nearly two third were either smokers or ex-smokers. Multiple linear regression model for predictors of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency declared that; enzyme induced antiepileptic drugs, polytherapy, and smoking were significantly correlated with vitamin deficiency and insufficiency (p < 0.05).
 Conclusion: Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency is widespread among adult epileptic patients. Screening of vitamin D level should be taken into consideration as part of the regular follow up of epileptic patients.

Prevalence and Related Risk Factors of Vitamin D Deficiency in Saudi Children with Epilepsy

“…Our cohort’s vitamin D deficiency status is relatively higher than what has been reported in other studies [ 12 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among adults with epilepsy was 67.3% in a previous study [ 26 ]. Choong Yi Fong et al found vitamin D deficiency in 22.5% of children with epilepsy and 19.7% had vitamin D insufficiency [ 12 ].…”