25-OH vitamin D level is an immediate precursor metabolite of the active form of vitamin D that leads to expression of more than 200 genes.

The aim of our study was to examine 25-OH vitamin D deficiency (<50nmol/L) and its relationship to demographic factors in recently hospitalised patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD).

We assessed 25-OH vitamin D serum level in 41 SSD patients (54% of males, 46% with first episode, 63% during sunny season [May to October]), mean age 30 ± 10.4 years, within first days of hospitalization. The serum 25-OH vitamin D level was analysed with electrochemiluminiscence, using imunoanalysators Elecsys Roche.

The serum level was significantly higher in sunny season (41.3 ± 27.2 nmol/L) than in November to April (28.4 ± 11.2 nmol/L): t-test, P < .05. Sixty-nine percent of patients suffered from 25-OH vitamin D deficiency (< 50nmol/L) in May to October and 100% during November to April. The 25-OH vitamin D serum levels were not different between males and females, or between first-episode and multiple-episode patients. No significant correlation between age and 25-OH vitamin D level was found.

The high prevalence of 25-OH vitamin D deficiency (< 50nmol/L) suggests that some patients with SSD may benefit from vitamin D supplementation.

This study is a result of the research funded by the project Nr. LO1611 with a financial support from the MEYS under the NPU I program.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.