ArticleBMC health services research2020
Potentially inappropriate testing for vitamin D deficiency: a cross-sectional study in Switzerland.
Article in BMC health services research, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- The 2024 Endocrine Society Guideline on Vitamin D: Comprehensive Summary and Critical Appraisal.Nutrients · 2026Pooled it
- A systematic review of evidence-based clinical guidelines for vitamin D screening and supplementation over the last decade.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2025Pooled it
- Inappropriate vitamin D supplementation among multimorbid older patients: a multicountry analysis.BMC geriatrics · 2025Trial
- Comparison of tWo hospital quality Improvement interventions on inappropriate measurement and SupplEmentation of vitamin D: the WISE-D study.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Too much vitamin D? a drug safety review.Reviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders · 2026Review
- Article
- The impact of Choosing WiselyBMC health services research · 2025Article
- Knowledge about Vitamin D among General Population in Baghdad City.Rwanda journal of medicine and health sciences · 2024Article
- Non-indicated vitamin BBMJ open · 2024Article
- Renal insufficiency and magnesium deficiency correlate with a decreased formation of biologically active cholecalciferol: a retrospective observational study.International journal of clinical pharmacy · 2023Observational
- Factors Associated with Potentially Inappropriate Screening for Vitamin D Deficiency among Women in Medically Underserved Regions of West Texas.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
- Health, financial and environmental impacts of unnecessary vitamin D testing: a triple bottom line assessment adapted for healthcare.BMJ open · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThere is consensus that vitamin D supplementation is often indicated but population-based screening by laboratory testing for vitamin D deficiency is inadequate. Testing should be restricted to people at high risk of severe deficiency. This study describes the current lab testing for vitamin D deficiency in the adult population of Switzerland.
methodsWe assessed Swiss health insurance data (SWICA) for incidence of lab testing for vitamin D levels, comparing the years 2015 and 2018. Claims were analyzed for associations between lab testing and age, sex, medical indications, insurance status and geographic location in multivariable regression analyses. We also estimated the costs of vitamin D testing.
resultsData from 200,043 and 200,046 persons for 2015 and 2018, respectively, were analyzed. Vitamin D level was tested in 14% of the sample population in 2015 and 20% in 2018. Testing increased by 69% for individuals aged 26-30. Testing was associated with being middle-aged to young senior citizens, female, medical indications (pregnancy, renal disease, osteoporosis, hyperparathyroidism, HIV, glucocorticoid intake), more chronic conditions, having a mandatory insurance with a low deductible, additional insurance coverage, and living in urban areas. We estimate that the total laboratory cost to mandatory insurance was about 90 million Swiss francs in 2018.
conclusionsDespite recommendations for routine vitamin D supplementation, vitamin D testing of low risk individuals is common and increasing in Switzerland.
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Registered trials
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