Background & Objectives:
Vitamin D (Vit D) is classically known for its crucial role in calcium and bone metabolism. Stroke is the second most common cause of death and major cause of disability worldwide. South Asians are at particularly high risk for stroke, accounting for 40% of global stroke deaths. Vit D3 is one of the novel modifiable risk factors of stroke.  Few studies have indicated that a poor Vit D status may be associated with both an increased risk of strokes and adverse health outcomes of post stroke patients. The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential clinical use of analyzing serum Vit D levels at admission in predicting stroke prevalence and severity among Vit D deficient individuals.
Materials & Methods:
This study was conducted in Narayana Medical College, Nellore, A.P, South India during the period May 2016 to April 2017. A total of 160 stroke patients, who were admitted in Neurology intensive care unit and confirmed by CT and MR imaging brain were enrolled. The severity and prognosis was evaluated by NIHSS score at the time of admission, discharge, 3 and 6 months after discharge during follow up. Serum Vit D3 was estimated in all the patients at the time of admission by High perfusion liquid chromatography and Vit D deficiency is defined <25 ng/mL according to the laboratory standards. Data was entered in the Excel and analyzed using Graphpad prism.
Results:
Out of 160 patients, 101 (63.13%) were males and 59 (36.88%) were females and mean age was 59.64 ± 12.22 years. Most of them 107 (66.88%) were hypertensive, 40 (25%) were diabetic and 120 (75%) had low serum vitamin D3 levels. Majority 129 (80.7%) had ischemic stroke and 31(19.3%) had hemorrhagic stroke. Out of 129 ischemic patients, 108 (83.7%) had low Vit D3 levels and 21 (16.2%) had normal Vit D3 levels whereas out of 31 hemorrhagic patients, 12 (38.7%) had low Vit D3 levels and 19 (61.3%) had normal Vit D3 levels. Out of 160 patients, NIHSS score of <15 in 105 (65.7%) patients and NIHSS score of >15 in 55 (34.3%) patients. Out of 105 NIHSS <15 score patients, 88 (83.8%) had low Vit D3 levels and 17 (16.2%) had normal levels. Out of 55 NIHSS score >15 patients, 32 (58.1%) had low Vit D3 levels and 23 (41.9%) had normal levels. There was statistical significant correlation between serum vit D level with stroke severity (p value:0.0004). 
Conclusion:
Serum Vit D has significant statistical association with ischemic stroke incidence when compared to hemorrhagic stroke. Serum Vit D has significant statistical association with severity of stroke at admission. Serum Vit D levels at admission are associated with ischemic stroke incidence and severity of stroke at admission and Vit D levels does not predict the outcomes of stroke.

VITAMIN D SCREENING TO ASSESS THE INCIDENCE, SEVERITY AND PROGNOSIS OF STROKE