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Vitamin D screening

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Abstract

At present, there is no need and no sufficient evidence to support universal screening for vitamin D status. There are four categories of subjects in whom there is no requirement for screening, since a number of studies indicate beneficial effects of vitamin D supplementation; these are represented by children and adolescents, pregnant women, patients taking bone active drugs and subjects with documented hypovitaminosis D. In the remaining subjects, the utilization of adequate questionnaires will target with sufficient sensitivity and specificity those with hypovitaminosis D. These must be first supplemented and, at a later time, serum 25(OH)D assay should be requested to confirm attainment of sufficiency, independently of the threshold chosen. This strategy will cut costs deriving from both widespread use of vitamin D assays and vitamin D supplementation.

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Funding

This work was partly supported by grants from “Sapienza”, Rome University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical, Internal, Anaesthesiologic and Cardiovascular Sciences, “Sapienza”, Rome University, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy

    S. Minisola, L. Colangelo, J. Pepe, M. Occhiuto, V. Piazzolla, M. Renella, F. Biamonte, C. Sonato, M. Cilli & C. Cipriani

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  1. S. Minisola
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  2. L. Colangelo
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  3. J. Pepe
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Correspondence to S. Minisola.

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SM served as speaker for Abiogen, Amgen, Bruno Farmaceutici, Diasorin, Eli Lilly, Shire, Sandoz, Takeda. He also served in advisory board of Abiogen, Kyowa Kirin, Pfizer, UCB.

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Minisola, S., Colangelo, L., Pepe, J. et al. Vitamin D screening. J Endocrinol Invest 43, 1047–1051 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-020-01220-w

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