The Association Between Ferritin and Vitamin D Levels in Premenopausal Fibroid Uterus Cases With Anemia

Objective The present study aimed to evaluate the association between serum ferritin and vitamin D levels in fibroid uterus cases presenting with anemia. Methods Sixty premenopausal women with uterine fibroids (30 associated with anemia and 30 without anemia) were enrolled as cases and control. All participants were evaluated on the basis of a questionnaire, which included queries related to obstetric, medical, and sociodemographic history. Peripheral blood smear, complete blood count (CBC), hemoglobin (Hb), and serum ferritin concentration were measured by a fully automated analyzer, and 25(OH) vitamin D level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results There was a significant difference in ferritin levels between cases and control (p<0.001). The exposure to sunlight was moderate (one-hour exposure) in all subjects, eliminating the confounding effect of sunlight exposure influencing vitamin D levels. The median vitamin D level in cases was 5.0 ng/ml [interquartile range (IQR): 4.8], and that in control was 18.4 ng/ml (IQR: 7.9; p<0.001). A strong positive correlation of (r)=0.616 (p<0.001) was found between serum ferritin and vitamin D levels. Conclusion Fibroid uterus cases with anemia are more prone to vitamin D deficiency as compared to cases without anemia. Vitamin D estimation in fibroid uterus cases presenting with anemia would be useful for better patient management.