Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients With Vitiligo: A Cross-Sectional Study From Basrah, Iraq

Abstract

Background and objective Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) plays a physiological role in melanogenesis in human skin. Vitamin D3 deficiency has become a common complication encountered in daily clinical practice. Recently, there has been growing interest in the role of vitamin D3 in the pathogenesis of vitiligo and its relevance in the treatment of the same. We have also noticed an increase in the rate of vitiligo with an associated aggressive extension of the lesions. In light of this, we conducted this study to analyze the incidence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with vitiligo and explore the effect of this deficiency on disease extension and severity. Materials and methods This was a cross-sectional study involving 46 patients with vitiligo. The affected body surface area of the patients was assessed using the Vitiligo Extent Tensity Index (VETI) score. Results Most of the vitiligo patients had very low levels of vitamin D (p<0.05), and a majority of the vitiligo patients with low vitamin D levels were females; however, this difference between females and males was not statistically significant (p=0.642). There was no significant effect of vitamin D levels on VETI scores (p=0.184). Conclusion Based on our findings, patients with vitiligo have a high incidence of vitamin D deficiency, and this deficiency is more common among females than males.

Efficacy of topical vitamin D combined with microneedling in the treatment of vitiligo: A comparative study

“…This agrees with many studies with different treatment modalities that suggested that the results were better noticed on the face followed by the trunk and limbs 5–23 …”

“…All these effects may lead to repigmentation in vitiliginous skin lesions. 22 The better response rate of topical vitamin D in combination therapy in our study may be related to enhancing the effect of microneedling on drug penetration.…”

“…The active form of vitamin D is also suggested to increase the survival of melanocytes by decreasing its apoptotic activity which is induced by the effect of the ultraviolet B (UVB). All these effects may lead to repigmentation in vitiliginous skin lesions 22 …”

“…This agrees with many studies with different treatment modalities that suggested that the results were better noticed on the face followed by the trunk and limbs. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] The pattern of pigmentation was statistically significantly different between the two groups; in the patches treated with microneedling and vitamin D, the pigmentation was diffuse, while in the patches treated with microneedling only the pigmentation was follicular.…”

Estimation of the effective role of vitamin D in infection patients with burn

“…The Endocrine Society recommended that the serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) be at least 30 ng/mL for optimal health benefits in the same year that the Institute of Medicine reported a serum concentration of 25(OH)D3 at 20 ng/ml (ideal for skeletal health for the US population; Ross et al, 2012). 40-100% of seniors in the US community have been found to be vitamin D deficient, and it is estimated that one (Kepker et al, 2012), while in Iraq it was found that 55% of healthy people suffer from vitamin D deficiency (Mahmmod & Ismael, 2021).…”