Evaluation of Effect of Vitamin D Deficiency on Anemia and Erythropoietin Hyporesponsiveness in Patients of Chronic Kidney Disease

The role of vitamin D deficiency and inflammation levels in renal anemia has been documented. However, no study is available in India where the role of vitamin D supplementation in patients with hyporesponsiveness to increased doses of erythropoietin is available. Hence this study.This study was conducted on 50 adult patients of CKD, on regular, twice weekly hemodialysis. It included 38 cases in group A with deficient serum vitamin D levels (30 ng/ml) and 12 cases in group B with sufficient vitamin D levels (30 ng/ml). Both groups of cases were receiving erythropoietin in a dose of 4000 I.U. subcutaneously twice weekly following dialysis and had failed to show rise in hemoglobin (Hb)1gm/dl after one month, hence erythropoietin was increased to 6000 I.U. Group A was given additional vitamin D in a dose of 60000 I.U. orally, once a week for next three months along with erythropoietin 6000 I.U. where as Group B served as control. Hematological and renal parameters, ESR, high sensitivity C reactive protein (HsCRP) and serum ferritin were estimated at baseline and then at one monthly intervals for next four months. Parathyroid hormone (iPTH), serum B12, folic acid and vitamin D (25OHD3) were measured at the start and end of the study only. Erythropoietin resistance index (ERI) was calculated to evaluate dose response.Basal ERI, HsCRP and ESR and serum ferritin were raised in both the groups. At the end of four months, there was a significant increase in the Hb and hematocrit (Hct) (p.001) and a significant fall in ERI, ESR, HsCRP, serum ferritin and iPTH (p.001) in group A. Group B, also had a significant increase in the hemoglobin and hematocrit (p.001) and decrease in ERI, ESR, HsCRP, serum ferritin and iPTH which was not significant. Basal vitamin D and ERI had a positive and insignificant correlation (r=0.05; p=0.756) in group A where as a negative and insignificant correlation was observed between them at the end of four months (r= -0.195; p0.05).vitamin D play an important role in reducing inflammation and thereby in the cure of anemia in EPO hyporesponsive CKD patients and needs to be supplemented, if deficiency is found.