Trends in vitamine B12- en D-bepalingen in Nederland

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.

Conflict of interest and financial support: ICMJE forms provided by the authors are available online along with the full text of this article.