Background: Women in their perimenopausal period should have an optimal vitamin D level. This study compared monthly versus weekly doses of cholecalciferol in treatment of perimenopausal women with vitamin D deficiency.Methods: Eighty 42-57 years old women with vitamin D deficiency were enrolled. Half of the patients received bolus monthly oral doses and the other half of patients received weekly oral doses for four months. The vitamin D level was determined at the end of each month and one month after the end of the period of treatment. Demographic and biochemicaldata were analyzed too.Results: Demographic information indicated absence of any significant difference between the two treatment groups. Serum level of 25(OH)D3 in the monthly group ranged from 11.5±2.6 ng/mL to 48.6±4.8 ng/mL from baseline to day 111, whereas those in the weekly group ranged from 10.3±3.1 ng/mL to 46.9±6.3 ng/mL. On days 27, 55, 83, 111, and 150, there was no discernible difference in the fluctuations of 25(OH) D3 level between the two treatment groups; while the mean change from baseline between the two groups only became significant on day 13. Between baseline and day 150, no significant alteration happened for biochemical markers.Conclusion: Weekly and monthly vitamin D dosages were equally effective in restoring normal level of 25(OH) D3 in perimenopausal women with vitamin D deficiency.
Mayyahi et al. (Sun,) studied this question.