Serum Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 Levels in Pseudotumor Cerebri patients: A Cross-Sectional Approach
Roham Nik Khah1 *, Nasrin Sanjari2 , Alireza Azarmehr1
- General Practitioner, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences
- Oculoplastic & Orbit Reconstructive Fellowship, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
Abstract: Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) is presented with numerous neurological and ocular manifestations. We aimed to evaluate the serum vitamin D and B12 levels in PTC patients considering limited reports regarding hypovitaminosis in PTC.
Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated PTC patients diagnosed by a contributing formation of neurologists and ophthalmologists. Age, gender, and serum vitamin D and B12 levels were obtained by referring to the reference laboratory of the University Hospital.
Results: Forty-two patients were investigated. The serum vitamin B12 levels did not show any statistically significant relationship with age (P=0.194) or gender (P= 0.469) in PTC patients. Also, the serum vitamin B12 levels were not significantly related to age (P=0.666) or gender (P= 0.264). The correlation coefficient of Kendall’s Tau-b revealed a strong inverse relationship between serum vitamin levels in the patients under 45 years of age (-0.5<). This inverse relationship was strong and statistically significant (P = 0.034). The correlation coefficient of Kendall’s Tau-b did not reveal any strong relationship between age over 45 and gender and serum vitamin levels (-0.5>, P>0.05).
Conclusion: Most PTC patients in this study had vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency, respectively, and almost half of them had insufficient serum vitamin B12 levels. In patients younger than 45 years of age, an increase in serum vitamin D levels was associated with decreased vitamin B12 levels and vice versa. However, no similar reciprocal changes were found between serum vitamin B12 and serum vitamin D levels in PTC patients regarding gender or age above 45 years.
