Author
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WEIL, MICHELLE - USDA HNRCA @ TUFTS |
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Dawson-Hughes, Bess |
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Submitted to: Endocrine Society Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 6/2/2007 Publication Date: 6/2/2007 Citation: Weil, M., Dawson-Hughes, B. 2007. Sunlamp Therapy for the Treatment of Vitamin D Deficiency. In: The Endocrine Society's 89th Annual Meeting, June 2-5, 2007, Toronto, Canada. P3-114, pg. 527. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Vitamin D deficiency may result from inadequate intake, malabsorption or from inadequate sun light exposure. Ultraviolet B radiation can be used in the treatment of vitamin D deficiency. Three subjects with intolerance to oral vitamin D or low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels despite high oral doses of vitamin D were selected for sunlamp therapy. They used a portable commercial 800-watt ultraviolet lamp and exposed either their arms or legs for 2 minutes, 3 times a week. Exposure was advanced by 2 minutes each week until a goal of 10 minutes, 3 times a week was reached at week 5. This duration was maintained thereafter. All subjects were Caucasians with fair skin. No one developed any significant side effects including rashes, erythema or appreciable tanning. After 3 months, serum 25OHD increased from 17 to 44 ng/ml in one subject. After 7 months, serum 25OHD increased from 9 to 20 ng/ml in one subject, and after 8 months, 25OHD increased from 8 to 30 ng/ml in one subject. We conclude that UV irradiation with commercially available sunlamps is a simple and effective therapy to increase 25OHD levels in patients who cannot achieve optimal vitamin D status with oral supplementation. |
