Vitamin D Supplementation for Patients with Alopecia Areata: A Protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The document outlined a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of vitamin D supplementation in treating alopecia areata, focusing on randomized controlled trials with a minimum duration of 3 months. It aimed to assess outcomes related to hair loss severity, vitamin D levels, and quality of life in patients with serum 25(OH)D levels below 50 ng/mL. The protocol highlighted vitamin D's potential as a low-cost, safe treatment due to its role in immune modulation and antioxidant synthesis. The study planned to analyze data using statistical tools and conduct subgroup analyses based on age, gender, and baseline vitamin D levels to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between vitamin D supplementation and alopecia areata improvement.