**Vitamin Deficiency Among the Elderly Institutionalized Patients Vitamin Deficiency Among the Elderly Institutionalized Patients**

Hanadi Khamis Alhamad, Navas Nadukkandiyil and Navas Nadukkandiyil and Essa Mubarak Al Sulaiti

Essa Mubarak Al Sulaiti

Hanadi Khamis Alhamad,

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/67396

#### **Abstract**

**Objectives:** Deficiency in vitamin D (Vit D) is usually associated with elderly patients. This chapter investigates its prevalence amongst the elderly in long-term care in Qatar.

**Methodology:** The research material included patient chart reviews, electronic data and other evidence-based research papers collated between April 2010 and April 2012. Geriatric patients 65 years and above in healthcare facilities in Qatar were considered as the sample group in this study; its results were analysed and compared, in order of diagnosed Vit D deficiency severity.

**Results:** The total number of patients studied was 889; 66% were female and 34% male, with an average age of 75 ± 8.7 years. The Vit D serum level mean baseline utilized was 24.4 ± 13.5 ng/ml; 72% of patients had Vit D deficiency with 31 and 30% being mildly and moderately deficient, respectively, while approximately 11% were severely deficient. A positive link was identified between HDL-C and Vit D levels r < 0.17, P < 0.001; however, HbA1c levels showed a negative link with Vit D r < 0.15, P < 0.009.

**Conclusions:** Vit D deficiency was found to be substantially high (72%) among the elderly in Qatar. This low level of Vit D was associated with higher HbA1c and lower HDL-C levels.

**Keywords:** elderly, institutionalized patients, geriatrics, vitamin D deficiency, comorbidities

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2017 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
