Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction

Low concentrations of vitamin D are associated with decreased calcium absorption, negative calcium balance, and compensatory growth of parathyroid hormone, resulting in excessive bone resorption. The first step in preventing osteoporosis is to ensure a proper diet, especially calcium and vitamin D intake.

Aim of the study

The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH-D3) in Eastern Croatia in subjects aged 18 to 25 years at the end of winter and to examine whether there is a difference according to gender and compare the results with reference values.

Subjects and methods

The study was conducted on a sample of 59 subjects, with an average age of 23 years, of which 27 were men (45.8%) and 32 women (54.2%). Blood was drawn and centrifuged at 3.000 rpm for 10 minutes. After centrifugation, serum was collected, and the sample was analyzed by liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Results

The mean concentration of 25-OH-D3 was 16.36 ng/ml (SD 5.68; range 4.90 to 28.60). Men had a statistically significant higher concentration compared to women (18.96 vs. 14.16 ng/ml, p 0.01). The concentration was lower than the reference value (20 to 100 ng/ml). Only 28.8% of subjects (44.4% men and 15.6% women) had values ​​greater than 20 ng/ml.

Conclusion

As many as 71.2% of young adults had vitamin D deficiency at the end of the winter period. Women had statistically significant lower concentrations. The observed deficit indicates the need to determine the optimal intake of 25-OH-D3 for the purpose of osteoporosis prevention. It is necessary to conduct research on a larger number of examinees over a longer period with monitoring of outcomes.

Keywords: calcifediol, vitamin D deficiency, young adults, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, osteoporosis