Study of Serum Vitamin D Level and its Relationship with Depression in Patients Visiting the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Tertiary Care Hospital, Nepal: A Case-Control Study

An estimated 350 million individuals worldwide suffer from depression, making it a widespread ailment. The mapping of vitamin D receptors in the brain suggests that vitamin D plays a function in psychosomatic illnesses like depression. Limited information exists on vitamin D status and depression in the Nepalese population. The present study aimed to determine the level of vitamin D in patients with depression and compare it with normal individuals. Similarly, it aimed to find out how the level of vitamin D varies with the severity of depression.

The case-control study was conducted at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), in Kathmandu, Nepal. In this study, 85 depressive patients and 85 age-sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Vitamin D was assessed in the Department of Biochemistry with the Electro-Chemiluminescent Immune Assay (E-CLIA) method. The data were entered into the Microsoft Excel program. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS software 17.0 version. The mean comparison, group association, and correlation were determined by using t-test, Chi-square test, and Pearson’s correlation, respectively. A probability of < 0.05 was accepted as significant.

The level of vitamin D in patients with depression was found to be significantly lower than that in healthy controls. Likewise, the level of vitamin D was found to vary with the severity of depression; with severe depression, the level of vitamin D was the lowest and the result was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). Similarly, the level of vitamin D was found to be significantly lower in subjects having suicidal tendencies (P < 0.05).

The cause-and-effect link between depression and vitamin D deficiency is unclear, but their coexistence in the Nepalese community raises public health concerns. Recognizing those at risk and taking early action is crucial, as severe depression is a potential risk factor for suicidal thoughts.