Gastroenterological patients are a vulnerable group, particularly sensitive to vitamin D deficiency due to malabsorption, altered levels of vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) and albumin, and reduced sun exposure caused by disease symptoms. We assessed vitamin D status in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) during winter and autumn by measuring total vitamin D, as well as its free and bioavailable fractions. During the winter period, the group of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma had the lowest median concentrations of total vitamin D, while PDAC patients had the highest concentrations. All patient groups exhibited altered levels of binding proteins (VDBP and albumin), explaining why free and bioavailable vitamin D concentrations did not fully follow the trend of total vitamin D. In autumn, the highest increase in total vitamin D compared to winter was recorded in healthy individuals, which is expected due to greater sun exposure during the summer months. However, the concentrations of free and bioavailable vitamin D did not significantly differ compared to the gastroenterological patient groups, indicating differences in the levels of vitamin D-binding proteins, which were confirmed in the study. PDAC patients showed an interesting trend, as their total vitamin D levels did not significantly differ between autumn and winter, suggesting complex metabolic adjustments that reduce the seasonal impact. In this thesis, we studied the impact of various gastroenterological diseases on vitamin D concentration and the ratio between bioavailable and total 25(OH)D. The main conclusion is that gastroenterological diseases alter this ratio, raising the question of whether measuring only total vitamin D can lead to incorrect conclusions about vitamin D status. A more accurate assessment of vitamin D status could be achieved by measuring not only total vitamin D but also free and bioavailable fractions. It is important to emphasize that measuring vitamin D levels in gastroenterological patients is useful not only in winter but also after summer, as seasonal changes, decreased intestinal absorption, and other factors can cause more pronounced fluctuations in vitamin D concentrations in these patients.
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