Swiss medical weekly
Volume 147, 2017

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and intramuscular vitamin D3 supplementation among Eritrean migrants recently arrived in Switzerland (Article) (Open Access)

Chernet A. , Hensch N.-P. , Kling K. , Sydow V. , Hatz C. , Paris D.H. , Rentsch K. , Nickel B. , Neumayr A. , Labhardt N.D.
  • a Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Switzerland / University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • b Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Switzerland / University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • c Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Switzerland / University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • d Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Switzerland / University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • e Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Switzerland / University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • f Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Switzerland / University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • g University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland / Laboratory Medicine, Switzerland
  • h Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Switzerland / University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • i Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Switzerland / University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • j Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland / University of Basel, Switzerland / Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Basel, Switzerland

Abstract

In a cross-sectional screening programme, we assessed serum vitamin D levels in adult Eritrean refugees recently arrived in Switzerland. Median vitamin D level among 107 participants (95 males and 12 females) was 27 nmol/l (interquartile range 23-42 nmol/l), 86% had insufficient vitamin D levels (≤50 nmol/l) and 36% severe deficiency (<25 nmol/l). In 29 participants who received single-dose intramuscular vitamin D substitution (300 000 IU), median vitamin D levels increased from 25 to 35 nmol/l after 3 months (p = 0.005); only 11 (38%) reached sufficient vitamin D levels. Eritrean migrants should be routinely screened for vitamin D deficiency. Single-dose intramuscular supplementation appeared to be insufficient to achieve optimal levels in the majority of participants.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Eritrea human statistics and numerical data Vitamin D Dietary Supplements intramuscular drug administration dietary supplement melanin Melanins ethnology analogs and derivatives Cross-Sectional Studies Young Adult cross-sectional study Humans Black person Adolescent African Continental Ancestry Group male female colecalciferol vitamin D deficiency blood adult migration utilization Cholecalciferol Transients and Migrants Injections, Intramuscular 25-hydroxyvitamin D Switzerland
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85054016256&doi=10.4414%2fsmw.2017.14568&partnerID=40&md5=bb0e20c8a0f1411cf78a12b4fac3e7e0
DOI: 10.4414/smw.2017.14568
ISSN: 14243997
Original Language: English