Diagnostic and Therapeutic Implications of Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients with Warts: A Case Controlled Study

BACKGROUND Cutaneous warts are frequent conditions that possess much challenge to treat. OBJECTIVE To verify the potential role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of viral warts by measuring the serum levels of vitamin D in patients diagnosed with viral warts compared to healthy controls and to verify whether oral vitamin D supplementation of those vitamin D- deficient patients would result in wart clearance. METHODS To evaluate the serum vitamin D levels, the study recruited 80 subjects, including 40 patients diagnosed with viral warts and 40 age and sex matched healthy controls. All patients were subjected to detailed history taking and examination to detect duration and type of warts. Serum vitamin D levels were measured using ELISA. RESULTS 35% of patients had sufficient vitamin D levels (54-90 nmol/l), 40% of patients had insufficient levels (50-80 nmol/l), while 25% of them had deficient levels (<50 nmol/l). In healthy group, 30% had sufficient levels, 45% had insufficient levels, while 25% had deficient levels. There was an insignifncantly lower serum level of vitamin D as well as an insignificantly deficient vitamin D status among patients compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSION Vitamin D serum levels appears to be lower among viral wart patients and oral supplementation studies needs to be more intensely investigated before elucidating its role; if any, in wart clearance.