Deficient and/or insufficient serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D in patients with alopecia areata: is it a fact or a fiction?

Abstract

Background Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by a localized patchy hair loss from scalp and other hairy body parts. The association of abnormal levels of vitamin D in patients of AA is controversial. Assessment of serum vitamin D depends on measurement of 25 hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D], not measuring the active form 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D. Objectives The aim of the study is to measure serum 25(OH)D levels in patients with AA and to correlate them with the severity of the disease. Patients and methods A total of 20 patients with mild to moderate (AA) and 20 healthy persons as controls were involved in this study. Serum 25(OH)D levels of both patients and normal controls were assessed using electrochemiluminescence. Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score was calculated for all patients with AA involved in this study. Serum values of 25(OH)D in patients with AA were compared with the values in the healthy controls. Correlation was done between SALT scores and serum levels of 25(OH)D in the patients with AA. Results Serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in the case group in comparison with the control group. In this study, we found a significantly higher SALT values in correlation to the deficient serum 25(OH)D levels in the case group. Conclusion Deficient serum 25(OH)D may be a serum marker of increased severity of AA.