The seasonal changes in the biochemical indices of vitamin D nutrition have been measured in elderly people with differing requirements for institutionalized care. Residents of local authority homes (LAH) showed an increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] between spring and autumn (means 14-17 nmol/l, P less than 0.002). No significant seasonal changes were seen in patients on long-stay wards [(GW) serum 25(OH)D3 9.5 and 9.5 nmol/l] and in day-hospital attenders [(GDH) 25 and 26.8 nmol/l]. Significant differences (P less than 0.02 to P less than 0.0001) were found between the mean serum 25(OH)D3 amongst the three groups. A significant linear relationship (r = 0.84, P = 0.036) was found between mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D2[25(OH)D2] and dietary vitamin D2. The intake of vitamin D was suboptimal in all groups. The incidence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D less than 12.5 nmol/l] varied from 11.7% of residents in LAH in autumn to 47% of GW patients in spring; but hypocalcaemia occurred less often (LAH 1.3% in autumn, GW 4.7% in spring). The diet assumes a greater role in protecting against vitamin D deficiency when the total 25(OH)D is low. Because most diets contain insufficient amounts of vitamin D, elderly institutionalized people will remain at high risk of developing vitamin D deficiency unless specific preventative measures are adopted.
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Davies et al. (1986) studied this question.
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