PMID:
Int J Trichology. 2019 Mar-Apr;11(2):49-57. PMID: 31007473
Abstract Title:
Serum Vitamin D Levels and Alopecia Areata- A Hospital Based Case-Control Study from North-India.
Abstract:
Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease which is characterized by hair loss and affects any hair-bearing area. Low levels of Vitamin D have been implicated in a variety of autoimmune diseases. This study was conducted to assess the levels of Vitamin D in patients with AA and its correlation with severity, pattern, and extent of the disease.Materials and Methods: This hospital-based study included 135 cases with AA and 135 age- and sex-matched controls. AA cases were grouped according to the severity, pattern, and extent of the disease. The levels of Vitamin D were assessed and compared between cases and controls and among different groups of cases. The data were analyzed, and the correlation was derived.Results: The more number of patients from the case group had deficient and insufficient levels of Vitamin D as compared to controls, the difference being statistically significant (= 0.01). A highly significant difference was found in mean Vitamin D levels between cases and controls (= 0.0004). A negative correlation was found between Vitamin D levels and severity of AA as accessed by SALT score. A negative correlation was also found between Vitamin D levels with pattern and extent of the disease.Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency may be one of the factors having a role either in etiopathogenesis or exacerbation of AA. Supplementation of Vitamin D as a treatment modality may improve the clinical outcome of AA.
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