Vitamin D testing: three important issues

摘要

In Liverpool we are auditing vitamin D testing and prescribing in primary care, following guidelines issued to GPs in early 2012 to encourage evidenced based testing and prescribing.1 Our data indicates that some GPs are testing in an increasingly non-targeted way. GPs in Liverpool ordered over £100 000 worth of vitamin D tests in 2012, over 10 times the amount spent in 2007. Though more people were identified as deficient, the proportion of deficient results identified decreased significantly. We feel guidance from NICE is needed for detection and treatment of vitamin D deficiency in primary care.