Sana Qayyum Khan, Saleemuz Zaman, Toqeer Ali Butt, Asim Mumtaz, Sajid Azeem Qureshi.
Parathyroid hormone and magnesium levels in vitamin D deficient females.
Biomedica Jan ;29(2):88-91.

Vitamin D deficiency is a major health problem worldwide. In healthy subjects, vitamin D deficiency causes an increase in serum parathyroid hormone (PDH) level in response to hypocalcemia that in turn effectively restores serum calcium and phosphorus levels. However, the response in adult female in vitamin D deficient population in particular has not been studied especially in our set up. The objectives of this study were to determine the levels of iPTH and magnesium in vitamin D deficient adult females, among a sector of population living in a suburban area of Lahore. Materials and Methods: A total of 125 asymptomatic apparently healthy women (aged 20 – 60 years) were included in this study. Subjects were randomly selected from the Shalamar / Mughalpura area in Lahore. The research was started after taking permission from ethical committee of UHS. Results: In a total of 125 subjects, 59 (47%) had deficient, 41 (33%) had insufficient and 25 (20%) had sufficient levels of vitamin D. The serum iPTH level in vitamin D deficient women was significantly higher and an inverse correlation existed between vitamin D and iPTH. Magnesium levels, on the other hand deteriorated only with severe deficiency of vitamin D. This study indicates that serum iPTH is a better marker of detection of low vitamin D states, as compared to serum calcium and phosphorus levels which remain normal. Furthermore, magnesium levels must be monitored in vitamin D deficiency because of its implications in bone metabolism, muscular and cardiac activity.

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