Evaluation of serum ferritin, vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels as biochemical markers of chronic telogen effluvium in women

The study "Evaluation of serum ferritin, vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels as biochemical markers of chronic telogen effluvium in women" conducted a cross-sectional analysis on 100 non-pregnant women with chronic telogen effluvium (CTE), a condition characterized by diffuse hair loss. The study found that 23% of the patients had serum ferritin levels lower than the normal range (13-150 ng/dL), 2% had low vitamin D levels (normal range 5.2-60.4 ng/ml), and 35.7% had low vitamin B12 levels (normal range 191-663 pg/ml). The study concluded that low levels of serum ferritin and vitamin B12 were found in approximately one-fourth and a third of females with CTE respectively, with vitamin D deficiency found in only a small proportion. Despite the lack of a statistically significant correlation between these nutrients and participant age or other parameters, the authors recommend thorough screening for nutritional deficiencies in females with diffuse hair loss.