Correlation of admitted nursing home residents' hospital length of stay and vitamin D levels.

Objective: To determine the relationship between low vitamin D levels and hospital length of stay in nursing home residents who were admitted to acute medical floors in an urban community teaching hospital.

Methods: This prospective cohort study used multiple regression analysis for patients transferred from nursing homes to the hospital. On admission, patients' serum 25(OH)D levels were obtained by blood draw using partially purified lipid extracts via a competitive protein binding assay.

Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in obese children and adolescents.

Objective: Recent studies have shown a broad prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in adults. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels were reported to be inversely related to body mass index (BMI) and body fat content and correlated directly with hypertension, degree of insulin resistance and progression to diabetes mellitus. We sought to determine the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and markers of metabolic syndrome in an obese pediatric population.