Blood Levels of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Nephrotic Syndrome

Abstract

Blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-HCC) in 26 patients with nephrotic syndrome (proteinuria of 6.5 g/24 h .+-. 0.8 SEM [standard error of mean]) ranged between 1-18.6 ng/ml (8.6 .+-. 1.0 SEM). This value was signficantly lower (P < 0.01) than that in normal subjects (21.8 .+-. 2.3 ng/ml) and patients with chronic renal failure (24.8 .+-. 2.3 ng/ml). There was inverse correlation (P < 0.01) between levels of 25-HCC and magnitude of proteinuria and a direct relation (P < 0.01) with serum albumin. Reduction in proteinuria was rapidly followed by a rise in blood 25-HCC toward normal. Ionized Ca levels were low in 16 of 26 nephrotic patients irrespective of degree of renal failure. In 4 of 7 nephrotic patients with normal renal function, ionized Ca levels were low and showed an inverse relation with levels of parathyroid hormone. Patients with nephrotic syndrome apparently had low blood levels of 25-HCC probably due to its loss in urine. This derangement was probably responsible for disorders of Ca metabolism in nephrosis.