Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2025
Dried Blood Spots - Preparing and Processing for Use in Immunoassays and in Molecular Techniques
Published on: March 13, 2015
[Trends in number of vitamin B12- and D-determinations in the Netherlands]
Joris L J M Müskens1,2, Rudolf B Kool1, Simone A van Dulmen1
1Radboudumc, Institute for Health Sciences, afd. IQ Healthcare, Nijmegen.
Objective:
To gain insight into the volume of vitamin B12- and D-determinations over time.
Design:
A retrospective cohort study.
Method:
Using declaration data of around 3.5 million insured Dutch citizens we examined the volume of vitamin B12- and D-testing between 2015-2019. Both trends in number and proportion of patients receiving a vitamin B12- and D determination were assessed.
Results:
Between 2015-2019 the number of vitamin B12-determinations increased by 98,1% and the number of vitamin D-determinations by 112%. The proportion of patients receiving a determination increased from 4,8% to 8,4% for vitamin B12 and from 4,7% to 9,1% for vitamin D over the examined period.
Conclusion:
Both the number of and proportion of patients receiving a vitamin B12- and D-determinations increased over the examined time period. Our findings emphasize the need for proper patient and physician information regarding the indications which justify vitamin B12- or D testing, in order to reduce and prevent overtesting.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin...
01:30Vitamins