VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY IN PATIENTS WITH ALOPECIA AREATA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY FROM A TERTIARY CARE CENTER
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Keywords
Alopecia Areata; Vitamin D Deficiency; Autoimmune Diseases; Disease Severity; Pakistan.
Abstract
To determine the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among patients with alopecia areata (AA) and to assess its association with disease severity and autoimmune comorbidities in a Pakistani tertiary care setting.
Study Design and Setting:A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from 17 January 2025 to 17 July 2025 in the Department of Dermatology at Khyber Teaching Hospital, and CMH Peshawar.
Methodology:Using successive sampling, 262 patients aged 5–50 years with clinically diagnosed alopecia areata were enrolled. Patients with conditions affecting vitamin D metabolism, systemic illnesses, or recent vitamin D supplementation were excluded. Disease severity was assessed using the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were measured using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and categorized according to Endocrine Society guidelines. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. Associations were assessed using chi-square and independent t-tests, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results:The mean age of participants was 24.6 ± 8.9 years, with a male predominance (64.9%). Vitamin D deficiency was observed in 142 patients (54.2%), insufficiency in 61 (23.3%), and adequate levels in 59 (22.5%). Vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with moderate-to-severe AA compared to mild disease (62.8% vs. 44.8%; p = 0.004; OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.27–3.41). A strong association was also found between vitamin D deficiency and the presence of autoimmune comorbidities (70.4% vs. 49.1%; p = 0.01; OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.30–4.69). No significant associations were observed with age, sex, or diabetes status.
Conclusions:Vitamin D insufficiency is highly prevalent among patients with alopecia areata and is significantly associated with increased disease severity and autoimmune comorbidities. These findings support routine screening for vitamin D deficiency in AA patients and highlight the need for interventional studies to evaluate the role of vitamin D supplementation as an adjunctive therapy.
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Najeeb Ullah Khan
Department of Dermatology, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Khalid Iqbal
Department of Dermatology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Humaira Wazir
Department of Dermatology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Hayat Khan
Department of Dermatology, Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Peshawar, Pakistan
Seyab Ur Rahman
Department of Dermatology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
