New research has found that over half of patients with symptoms of gastroparesis have low vitamin D levels, which is linked to heightened nausea, vomiting, and gastric neuromuscular dysfunction.
Researchers evaluated 513 patients, aged 18 years or older, with symptoms of gastroparesis who were included in the registry of the Gastroparesis Clinical Research Consortium in the United States. Patients’ vitamin D levels were measured at enrolment in the registry, with low vitamin D levels being defined as 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels, with 20 to < 30 ng/mL considered insufficient and < 20 ng/mL considered deficient.
Of the 513 patients with gastroparesis symptoms, 288 patients (56.1%) had low vitamin D levels, with levels being insufficient in 156 patients and deficient in 132 patients. The prevalence of low vitamin D levels was similar in patients with gastroparesis (54.8%) and with normal gastric emptying (59.9%).
“This study lays the framework for the next level of investigation, replenishment of vitamin D in patients with symptoms of gastroparesis who have low vitamin D levels and see if this improves their gastric neuromuscular dysfunction and symptoms of gastroparesis. Until this study is performed, we advocate assessing vitamin D levels in patients with symptoms of gastroparesis and treatment with exogenous vitamin D if the patient is deficient in vitamin D,” the authors wrote.
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