Main Factors Contributing To Vitamin D Deficiency In A Sample Of Iraqi Population

Abstract

Vitamin D is known to play a vital role in each of; calcium metabolism, bone health, and immune function. The present study aimed to evaluate serum vitamin D levels in a cohort of individuals recruited randomly from Iraqi population from Diyala Province for the period from January to April 2025 and validated the performance characteristics of the Mindray CL-series VD-T test. A total of 163 apparently healthy individuals were enrolled from outpatient clinics. Serum samples were collected and analyzed using chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) methods.

Results revealed a relatively high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among the participants, with more than 84% showing vitamin D serum levels less than 20 ng/mL, indicating clearly a widespread serum vitamin D deficiency in the studied sample group. Test performance evaluation demonstrated an excellent precision, linearity, and specificity, with a detectable range of 3.0–130 ng/mL and a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.990. Cross-reactivity studies proved the strong specificity of the test for 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and D2, with least interference from other vitamin D metabolites. In conclusion, the results revealed the urgency for public health awareness in aspects of; lifestyle, dietary habits, and sun exposure, particularly among young people. The VD-T test has proven to be a reliable tool for accurately tracing of serum vitamin D levels in various clinical settings.