AB0890 Is There a Relationship Between Vitamin D and Schizophrenia?

BackgroundStudies suggest a neuroprotective role for vitamin D. Its deficit has been linked with various psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia (1). Increase in the prevalence of schizophrenia has been associated with high latitudes, winter/spring births, migration, urbanicity and cold climates (2,3). Vitamin D deficiency could be an important environmental risk factor, linking all of the previously exposed.ObjectivesWe aimed to determine whether patients with a first psychotic episode had low levels of vitamin D compared to controls, considering their final diagnoses (schizophrenia vs other psychoses).MethodsCross-sectional study in an acute inpatient psychiatric unit. Vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) was determined by direct competitive chemiluminescence immunoassay. Vitamin D levels (ng/ml) were considered optimum >30, insufficient 20–30 and deficient 0.05).Schizophrenic patients showed deficient average values (ng/ml) of vitamin D (mean 12.87, range 6-24.9). Vitamin D levels in the other psychoses patient group were higher but also deficient (mean 15.74, range 6-34.6). Controls presented higher levels of vitamin D, but still insufficient (mean 21.45, range 11.20-33.5).Vitamin D levels in the schizophrenia group were significantly lower compared to controls (CI 1.8 – 15.4; p