Vitamin D levels are low in adult patients with sickle cell disease in Jamaica and West Africa Journal Article


Authors: Tayo, B. O.; Akingbola, T. S.; Salako, B. L.; McKenzie, C. A.; Reid, M.; Layden, J; Osunkwo, I.; Plange-Rhule, J; Luke, A; Durazo-Arvizu, R; Cooper, R. S.
Article Title: Vitamin D levels are low in adult patients with sickle cell disease in Jamaica and West Africa
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Patients with sickle cell disease in the USA have been noted to have lower levels of vitamin D - measured as 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) - compared to controls. Average serum 25(OH)D levels are also substantially lower in African Americans than whites, while population distributions of 25(OH)D among Jamaicans of African descent and West Africans are the same as among USA whites. The purpose of this study was to examine whether adult patients with sickle cell disease living in tropical regions had reduced 25(OH)D relative to the general population. METHODS: We analyzed serum 25(OH)D in stored samples collected from studies in Jamaica and West Africa of adult patients with sickle cell disease and adult population controls. RESULTS: In samples of 20 Jamaicans and 50 West Africans with sickle cell disease mean values of 25(OH)D were 37% and 39% lower than controls, respectively. Metabolic abnormalities in the absorption and conversion pathways are possible causes for the consistent relative deficiency of 25(OH)D in sickle cell disease. CONCLUSIONS: Low 25(OH)D levels in tropical Africa where the burden of sickle cell disease is highest, deserve further investigation, and a randomized trial is warranted to address efficacy of supplementation.
Journal Title: BMC hematology
Volume: 14
Issue: 1
ISSN: 2052-1839; 2052-1839
Publisher: Unknown  
Journal Place: England
Date Published: 2014
Start Page: 12
Language: eng
DOI/URL:
Notes: LR: 20141002; GR: R01 DK080763/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/United States; GR: R01 DK090360/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/United States; GR: R03 TW008695/TW/FIC NIH HHS/United States; JID: 101609487; OID: NLM: PMC4143569; OTO: NOTNLM; 2014 [ecollection]; 2013/11/12 [received]; 2014/08/12 [accepted]; 2014/08/16 [epublish]; epublish
LUC Authors
  1. Amy Luke
    70 Luke
  2. Bamidele Olusegun Tayo
    93 Tayo
  3. Richard Stanley Cooper
    119 Cooper
  4. Jennifer Layden
    25 Layden
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