ASSOCIATION OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY WITH HYPOTHYROIDISM IN NEPALESE POPULATION: A PILOT STUDY.

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency has shown a broad array of non skeletal diseases in recent years. It is supposed to be a key player in the pathogenesis of these metabolic diseases. Its deficiency has also been shown to be assorted with hypothyroidism with indecisive results. We therefore under took the present study to evaluate the association between vitamin D deficiencies in Hypothyroidism in a population of central Nepal. Materials and methods: A total of 100 healthy individuals including 42 females and 58 males, where 100 hypothyroid patients including 20 males and 80 females were included in the study. Levels of Vitamin D, Thyroid function test (FT3, FT4, and TSH), Thyroperoxidase Antibody (Anti-TPO) was tested by electrochemiluminescence method and Calcium level was determined in accent 200 (PZ Cormay S.A, Poland), in Department of Immune serology and Biochemistry of United Reference Laboratory, Pokhara, Nepal. Statistical Analysis was done by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20.0. Results: The mean age of the study subjects was 43 ±15 years (range 18-83) and 43 ±14(range 20-87) years for control group with no statistical significant difference, P= 0.933. The results of mean comparison of thyroid function tests and Vit.D between the two groups were found statistically significant different. The percentage of abnormal results comparison within study group for male and female was found to be statistically significant in only for TSH (80% and 80%, P=0.026). Correlations between VitD and thyroid function test indicate that; for male there was a negative correlation of VitD with all thyroid functions tests, which was not statistically significant. For female the results indicate there was only a positive correlation between (Vit. D level and FT4) which was statistically significant (r =0.226, n = 80, P = 0.044). Conclusion: The study indicates the Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in hypothyroid patients, which suggests that they need routine testing and supplementation for the same.