The Association Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Stroke

Abstract

Objective: To determine the association between vitamin D deficiency and stroke in patients admitted in Mayo Hospital, Lahore.
Results: Out of a total of 200 subjects, 2(2%) in both the groups were between the age group of 18-40 years, 37(37%) of the cases and 41(41%) of the controls fell in the 41-50 years age group while 61(61%) of the cases and 57(57%) of the controls were between 51-60 years of age. Mean±SD for the age distribution was calculated to be 50.87±6.19 for cases and 50.90±6.07 for controls. Gender distribution of the subjects was recorded as 39(39%) for male cases and 45(45%) for male controls while 61(61%) were female cases and 55(55%) were female controls. Frequency of type of stroke was recorded as ischemic stroke in 72(72%) cases while 28(28%) of
the cases were suffering from hemorrhagic stroke. No stroke in control subjects was reported. Comparison of vitamin D deficiency in both groups revealed 61(61%) in cases and 29(29%) in controls while 39(39%) in cases and 71(71% ) in controls had no vitamin D deficiency. Odds ratio was calculated as 3.8294, p value was 0.0001 which showed a significant difference between the two groups. Stratification for vitamin D deficiency according to age showed that out of 61 subjects in cases group, 27( 44.26%) were under 50 years of age and 34(55.74%) were over 50 years of age and p value was 0.20 which was statistically insignificant. In 29 control subjects, 12(41.38%) were under 50 years and 17(58.62%) were over 50 years of age, p value was 0.18. Stratification for vitamin D deficiency according to type of stroke was done and it showed that out of 61 subjects in cases group, 43(70.49%) had ischemic stroke and 18(29.51%) had hemorrhagic stroke, p value was 0.0001, showing statistically significant difference. All the 29 control subjects were healthy without any type of stroke.
Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is significantly higher in stroke patients as compared to healthy controls. It is a potential risk marker for stroke, and the role of vitamin D repletion in enhancing musculoskeletal health after stroke needs to be explored and emphasized.