Vitamin D level and its determinants among Sudanese Women: Does it matter in a sunshine African Country?
Nazik Elmalaika Husain, Ahmed Abdel Badie Suliman, Ismail Abdelrahman, Shahinaz A Bedri, Rasha M Musa, Hind E Osman, Ayda H Mustafa, Nahla Gafer, Ehab Farah, Ali Abdel Satir, Mohamed H Ahmed, Mugtaba Osman, Atif A Khalil, Abbas Agaimy
Author Information
Nazik Elmalaika Husain: Department of Pathology, Omdurman Islamic University, Sudan.
Ahmed Abdel Badie Suliman: Department of Pathology, The National Ribat University, Sudan.
Ismail Abdelrahman: Department of Pathology, The National Ribat University, Sudan.
Shahinaz A Bedri: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan.
Rasha M Musa: Department of Medical Laboratories and Blood Bank, National Ribat University Hospital, Sudan.
Hind E Osman: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sudan University for Science and Technology, Sudan.
Ayda H Mustafa: Combined Clinic, Radiation and Isotope Center, Khartoum (RICK) and Department of Surgery, Alneelain University, Sudan.
Nahla Gafer: Radiation and Isotope Center, Khartoum (RICK), Sudan.
Ehab Farah: Department of Statistics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Tabouk, Saudi Arabia.
Ali Abdel Satir: Histo Center, Khartoum, Sudan.
Mohamed H Ahmed: Department of Medicine and HIV Metabolic Clinic, Milton Keynes University, Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Eaglestone, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK.
Mugtaba Osman: Armed Forces Centre for Psychiatric Care, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Atif A Khalil: Nephrology Department, Noble's Hospital, Isle of Man IM44RJ, UK.
Abbas Agaimy: Institute of Pathology, University of Erlangen, Germany.
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 ( 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 ( 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.
