Alopecia areata (AA) has been postulated to be an autoimmune disease affecting the hair follicles. Environmental costimulatory factors, such as infection, stress, or trauma, have also been implicated. In a study, researchers have found a trend toward the increased percentage of vitamin D-deficient individuals among AA patients that provide insight into the association of vitamin D with AA. The study findings were published in the Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology(JAAD) on September 18, 2021.
Currently, there is evidence that the levels of vitamin D are lower in AA patients than in healthy controls. However, few studies did not demonstrate significantly lower levels of vitamin D in AA patients. Hence, the need for local data on vitamin D levels in AA patients remains crucial. Therefore, Dr Felix Paolo J. Lizarondo and his team conducted a study to determine serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and the percentage of vitamin D deficiency in AA patients and compare them with those in healthy controls in a Philippine tertiary hospital.
In a cross-sectional study, the researchers included 29 AA patients and 29 healthy controls. They assessed the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels using the chemiluminescent immunoassay method.
Key findings of the study:
Upon analysis, the researchers found no significant difference in the mean vitamin D levels between AA patients (24.41 ± 6.87 ng/mL) and healthy controls (24.68 ± 6.68 ng/mL).
They noted that the percentage of patients with vitamin D deficiency, defined as <20 ng/mL, trended to higher among AA patients (34.4%) than among healthy controls (17.2%), with an odds ratio of 2.53. However, this was not statistically significant.
The authors concluded, "The factors that can help determine which AA patients will benefit from vitamin D testing in an AA setting include high SALT scores, younger age, female sex, sun exposure of <30 minutes per day, and lighter skin phototype."
They further added, "Further nationwide studies are needed to determine the true prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among Filipino patients with AA. Further research on vitamin D supplementation can also be performed for a subset of AA patients with concomitant vitamin D deficiency."
For further information:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdin.2021.07.008