Evaluation of Association of Vitamin D in Alopecia Areata: A Case-Control Study of 100 Patients in a Tertiary Rural Hospital of Southern India

Five years ago, a case-control study was conducted in a tertiary rural hospital of Southern India involving 100 patients with alopecia areata and 100 healthy controls. The study found a significant deficiency of vitamin D in patients with alopecia areata, with mean serum vitamin D levels of 18.90 ± 8.32 ng/mL compared to 28.21 ± 18.32 ng/mL in healthy controls. The deficiency was more pronounced in older cases and there was an inverse correlation between Severity of Alopecia Tool scores and serum vitamin D levels. The study concluded that vitamin D deficiency could play a role in the pathogenesis and management of alopecia areata. However, the study had limitations including a lack of severe cases and the potential for variation in serum vitamin D levels due to sunlight exposure and dietary intake. Further studies were recommended to evaluate the role of vitamin D supplementation in the treatment of alopecia areata.