Decreased vitamin D levels in obsessive-compulsive disorder patients

Objective. The present paper compared vitamin D levels in adult patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and explored possible correlations with patients' characteristics. Methods. Fifty outpatients with OCD, according to DSM-5 criteria, were included and assessed with the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRDS). Results. All the patients except one showed lower vitamin D levels than normative values (>30 nm/L). Vitamin D values of the whole sample were negatively correlated with Y-BOCS total, compulsion subscale, and some items' scores, specifically interference from obsessions, distress associated with obsessions, and time spent on compulsions. The same relationships were detected in men, while women showed negative correlations between vitamin D levels and Y-BOCS compulsion subscale and resistance to compulsions, degree of control of compulsions, insight item scores. Conclusions. Our findings would indicate that vitamin D might be involved in the pathophysiology of OCD, and that it is possibly related to the severity of the disorder and to typical symptoms, with some sex-related peculiarities. Further studies are necessary to support or not our findings and to ascertain the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in patients with OCD.

Automated summary

This study compared vitamin D levels in adult patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and explored possible correlations with patients' characteristics. The results showed a negative correlation between vitamin D levels and the severity of OCD and specific symptoms, with some differences based on gender. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in OCD patients.