title: The discriminative value of various biochemical parameters in detecting varying degrees of vitamin D deficiency in the Iranian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study was designed to assess the status and the discriminatory ability of serum Alk-Ph, Ca, P, and PTH in detecting hypovitaminosis D in some selected Iranian populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a random cluster sample of apparently healthy men and women, this multi-centric cross-sectional study was carried out among the Iranian urban population of five large cities (Tehran, Tabriz, Mashhad, Shiraz, and Booshehr). Serum levels of 25(OH)D, PTH, Alk-Ph, Ca, and P levels were analyzed. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to estimate the main effects by comparing the mean values of serum PTH, Alk-Ph, Ca, and P at different 25(OH)D levels. The discriminative value of the studied biochemical markers in detecting hypovitaminosis D was assessed by ROC curve analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From among the studied subjects, 2164 (57.5%) had moderate to severe vitamin D deficiency. The areas under the ROC curves showed the low accuracy of PTH (0.579), Alk-Ph (0.478), Ca (0.496), and P (0.406) in detecting subjects with a vitamin D concentration < 20 ng/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abnormalities in routine markers of bone profile such as PTH, Alk-Ph, Ca, and P are not adequate enough to discriminate patients with hypovitaminosis D.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center (EMRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khashayar
authors.forename: Hamid Reza Aghaei
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Meybodi
authors.forename: Mohsen Rezai
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Homami
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mohajeri-Tehrani
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heshmat
authors.forename: Bagher
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larijani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers