Introduction:

Vitamin D is a hormone that maintains a fundamental role in the phosphocalcic metabolism. In recent years, studies have shown an association between vitamin D deficiency and different rheumatic diseases.

Purpose:

To evaluate vitamin D levels in patients at a rheumatology center during a period of 2015-2016.

Methods:

A retrospective study of patients who attended a rheumatology center, who had an initial study of 25(OH)D serum. Vitamin D levels were classified as: normal: 30-40 ng/mL, deficiency: 30-20 ng/mL, insufficiency: 20-10 ng/mL and severe insufficiency: <10 ng/mL.

Results:

279 patients with a mean age of 58 years [8-93], 86% women [58.4 years] and 14% men [59.8 years] were included. The mean value of vitamin D was 29.09 ng/mL. A total of 41.2% (115) of the patients had values >30 ng/mL, and 58.8% (164) below this range. The most frequent primary diagnoses found were: osteoarthrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and osteoporosis; from which low levels of vitamin D ≤30 ng/mL were identified in 53.8%, 69.7%, 76.5% and 42.9%, respectively.

Conclusion:

There is a high incidence of hypovitaminosis D in Ecuadorian patients who came to a rheumatology center.

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