High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with basal cell nevus syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate vitamin D status in patients with basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS) who practice photoprotection because of their genetic predisposition to skin cancer and to determine risk factors for deficiency.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
Academic medical centers.


METHODS
Forty-one ambulatory patients with BCNS who participated in a 2-year chemoprevention clinical trial. Population-based controls (n = 360) were selected and matched by age, sex, Fitzpatrick skin type, and season/geography.


METHODS
Levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) and vitamin D deficiency (defined as a 25[OH]D level of ≤20 ng/mL).


RESULTS
Twenty-three patients with BCNS (56%) were vitamin D deficient. Patients with BCNS had mean 25(OH)D levels below those of the general population (-3 ng/mL; P = .02) and were 3 times more likely to be vitamin D deficient (56% vs 18%; P < .001). Levels of 25(OH)D were lower in patients who were overweight (-3.0 ng/mL; P = .04) and who had blood collected in the winter compared with the summer (-7.1 ng/mL; P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with BCNS may be at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency, depending on their adherence to photoprotection practices.
Department of Dermatology, Stanford University Medical Center, 450 Broadway St, Pavilion C, Redwood City, CA 94063, USA. tangy@stanford.edu
Jean Y
JY
Tang
Angela
A
Wu
Eleni
E
Linos
Neeta
N
Parimi
Wayne
W
Lee
Michelle
M
Aszterbaum
Maryam M
MM
Asgari
David R
DR
Bickers
Ervin H
EH
Epstein
D000328:Adult; D001478:Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*
D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D