Vitamin D deficiency and psychotic features in mentally ill
adolescents: A cross-sectional study Full Text BMC Psychiatry,
05/10/2012 Gracious BL et al. – Vitamin D deficiency and
insufficiency are both highly prevalent in adolescents with
severe mental illness.Methods - One hundred four adolescents
presenting for acute mental health treatment over a 16-month
period were assessed for vitamin D status and the relationship
of 25-OH vitamin D levels to severity of illness, defined by
presence of psychotic features. - Vitamin D deficiency (25-OH D
levels <20 ng/ml) was present in 34%; vitamin D insufficiency
(25-OH D levels 20-30 ng/ml) was present in 38%, with a
remaining 28% in the normal range. - Adolescents with psychotic
features had lower vitamin D levels (20.4 ng/ml vs. 24.7 ng/ml;
p=0.04, 1 df). - The association for vitamin D deficiency and
psychotic features was substantial (OR 3.5; 95% CI 1.4-8.9; p
<0.009). - Race was independently associated with vitamin D
deficiency and independently associated with