Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis and its Association with Disease Severity: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Background and Aims: Vitamin D deficiency is common but under-evaluated in chronic pancreatitis (CP). We estimated the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in CP and examined its association with endocrine and exocrine insufficiency and with disease severity graded by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study enrolled 63 adults with established CP at a tertiary-care gastroenterology unit in southern India between August 2024 and July 2026. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) was measured by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Disease severity was graded using the Rosemont EUS classification; exocrine insufficiency was assessed clinically (steatorrhoea and low body mass index) and endocrine insufficiency by the presence of diabetes mellitus. Associations were tested using the chi-square test, with p<0.05 considered significant. Results: Mean serum 25OHD was 32.73 ± 16.57 nmol/L (range 15.0–75.5). Hypovitaminosis D was near-universal (92.1%): 28 patients (44.4%) had deficiency and 30 (47.6%) insufficiency, while only 7.9% had normal levels. Vitamin D status was significantly associated with body mass index category (p=0.019), endocrine insufficiency (p=0.015), exocrine insufficiency (p=0.039), duration of hospital stay (p=0.016) and the presence of complications (p=0.025), but not with age (p=0.117), sex (p=0.266), alcohol intake (p=0.223), grouped EUS features (p=0.252) or mortality (p=0.736). Conclusions: Hypovitaminosis D is highly prevalent in CP and tracks with functional pancreatic insufficiency and overall disease burden rather than with demographic factors, supporting routine 25OHD screening and structured nutritional surveillance in all patients with CP.