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USPSTF: Not enough evidence to warrant vitamin D screenings
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In a draft statement, the United States Preventive Services Task Force suggested that the evidence put forth in support of regular vitamin D screenings is inadequate.
“The USPSTF concludes that the evidence on screening for vitamin D deficiency to improve health outcomes in asymptomatic adults is insufficient and the balance of benefits and harms of screening and early intervention cannot be determined,” according to the statement.
The Task Force outlined their concerns, often returning to the lack of consensus in vitamin D deficiency definition and variation in lab testing. These differences, the authors wrote, could result in overtreatment or undertreatment of those who participate in a screening process.
“Screening could cause misclassification of vitamin D–deficient persons because of the uncertainty of the cutpoint for defining vitamin D deficiency and the variability of available assays. This could result in overdiagnosis (which could lead to nondeficient persons receiving unnecessary treatment) or underdiagnosis (which could lead to deficient persons not receiving treatment),” they wrote.
The USPSTF used the statement to call for further research in defining vitamin D deficiency, testing sensitivity and specificity determination based on an internationally recognized reference standard as well as looking at treatment regimens and population-based treatments.
For more information: Screening for Vitamin D Deficiency: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement DRAFT