A cross-sectional study of vitamin D deficiency among immigrants and Norwegians with psychosis compared to the general population

• Published in: The journal of clinical psychiatry Vol. 71; no. 12; p. 1598
• Main Authors: Berg, Akiah Ottesen, Melle, Ingrid, Torjesen, Peter A, Lien, Lars, Hauff, Edvard, Andreassen, Ole A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2010
• Subjects: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression - blood; Depression - diagnosis; Depression - ethnology; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Emigrants and Immigrants - psychology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Norway - epidemiology; Norway - ethnology; Psychotic Disorders - blood; Psychotic Disorders - diagnosis; Psychotic Disorders - ethnology; Radioimmunoassay; Sampling Studies; Vitamin D - analogs & derivatives; Vitamin D - blood; Vitamin D Deficiency - blood; Vitamin D Deficiency - ethnology; Vitamin D Deficiency - psychology
• ISSN: 1555-2101
• DOI: 10.4088/JCP.09m05299yel

Vitamin D deficiency is common among immigrants, who, as a group, have heightened risk of psychosis. This study aimed to determine vitamin D levels among immigrants and Norwegians with psychosis compared to the general population and their association to clinical characteristics. This study compared vitamin D levels between immigrants and Norwegians within and between samples of patients with psychosis from a catchment area-based cross-sectional study (2002-2007) with a sample from a population-based health study from the same catchment area (2000-2001). The psychosis sample included patients with a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders diagnosis of psychotic disorder (67 immigrants, 66 Norwegians). The reference sample consisted of 1,046 subjects (177 immigrants, 869 Norwegians). Serum levels of vitamin D were measured by radioimmunoassay, and results were presented as 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Over 80% (n = 55) of immigrant patients with psychosis had insufficient/deficient serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (< 50 nmol/L). Immigrants had higher rates of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency than Norwegians (P < .001). Norwegians with psychosis had lower serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D than Norwegians in the reference sample from the general public (P < .001). 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels correlated with certain negative/depressive symptoms among patients with psychosis. An alarmingly high percentage of immigrants and Norwegians with psychotic disorders have 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency. This has important clinical implications as it suggests possible beneficial effects of vitamin D medication/heliotherapy within this group.