Vitamin D Levels and Their Relationship with Ambulation in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Objective: Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that exerts many effects on human health. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of motor neurons. This can result in a number of complications, including muscle weakness, spasticity, difficulty swallowing, speech disturbances, and, in some cases, respiratory failure. A number of studies have reported an association between vitamin D and various neurological diseases. This study aimed to assess vitamin D levels in patients diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and compare them with those of a control group comprising healthy individuals. In addition, the correlation between vitamin D levels and functional ambulation levels will be examined. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted involving 29 male and female patients diagnosed with definite amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using the El Escorial criteria and 28 healthy controls from the physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic of medicine. The medical records of the patients were consulted to obtain relevant demographic, clinical, and vitamin D levels. Subsequently, vitamin D levels were compared with those of healthy controls. Results: The results are presented in the following section. The mean vitamin D level observed in the patient group with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was 20.21 +/- 9.53, while in the healthy control group, it was 26.69 +/- 8.90. A statistically significant difference in vitamin D levels was observed between the two groups (p=0.034). No correlation was observed between patients' ambulation levels and vitamin D levels (p=0.202). Conclusion: It can be concluded that patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are at risk of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. It is therefore recommended that regular vitamin D levels are measured and treatment plans are developed for these patients.