Correspondence Address:
Prof. Mahmood Dhahir Al-Mendalawi
Department of Paediatrics, Al-Kindy College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, P.O. Box 55302, Baghdad Post Office, Baghdad
Iraq

Full Text



Dear Editor,

In September − December 2022 issue of the esteemed Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Biomedical Research KLEU, Jamatia et al.[1] reported that 60% of children in Agartala, a major city in North-East India had insufficient 25-Hydroxy (OH) Vitamin D (VD) levels and girls significantly had lower serum 25-OH VD levels (P < 0.05). Only 27% of the cohort had optimum serum 25-OH VD levels. Jamatia et al.[1] mentioned a few study limitations. We believe that the following limitation needs attention. In the study methodology, Jamatia et al.[1] stated that the diagnostic cutoff criteria according to the United States Endocrine Society (USES) guidelines[2] were employed to classify VD status into optimum (serum 25-OH VD levels >30 ng/ml); insufficient (serum 25-OH VD levels between 20 and 30 ng/ml), and deficient (serum 25-OH VD VD levels <20 ng/ml). Interestingly, the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) revised 2021 guidelines[3] have considered serum 25-OH VD cutoffs proposed for VD deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency as <12 ng/mL, 12–20 ng/mL, and >20 ng/mL, respectively. As there are noticeable differences in serum 25-OH VD levels used in classifying VD profiles between USES guidelines[2] and IAP revised 2021 guidelines,[3] we wonder why Jamatia et al.[1] utilized the foreign guidelines rather than the national guidelines in the study methodology. We believe that employing national cutoff values for VD status could better elucidate the VD profile in the Indian cohort. That methodological limitation, therefore, might significantly query the correctness of the study results. Nevertheless, the high prevalence of pediatric VD deficiency (60%) reported by Jamatia et al.[1] merits the strict actions to prevent the serious consequences of VD deficiency.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

References