Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency among Hemodialysis Patients in Palestine: A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: The level of vitamin D status and its relationship to kidney function and liver function among patients with and without type 2 diabetes were not studied among Palestinian hemodialysis patients before. The aim of this study was to assess the status of vitamin D in hemodialysis patients with and without type 2 diabetes and its determinants. METHODS: Data were collected on 163 patients on hemodialysis therapy in the Nephrology Department at Najah National University Hospital. Information on age, sex, plasma 25 (OH)D, serum calcium, serum phosphate, parathyroid hormone, dialysis period, hypertension, diabetes, ALT, AST, albumin, alkaline phosphates, and BMI was obtained from the medical records. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Findings. The mean level of 25 (OH)D was 17.3 ± 10.5 ng/ml. Only 12.9% of subjects had 25 (OH)D levels >30 ng/ml, whereas 65% had levels between 10 and 30 ng/ml; the remaining 22.1% were severely vitamin D deficient (<10 ng/ml). Vitamin D deficiency was more prevalent among females. It was not related to PTH, calcium, kidney, or liver function tests. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among patients on hemodialysis with or without DM2.