Background There is increasing evidence that Vitamin D has role in inflammatory processes in various diseases. Lower levels have been reported in rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and various other autoimmune disorders (1-3).

Objectives The aim of the study is to investigate the relation of vitamin D status to the disease activity in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods Serum 25-0H-Vitamin D (Vit D) levels were measured in 62 PSS, 49 RA, 43 AS patients and 52 healthy study participants (HC). Disease activity was assessed using Valentini score, Disease Activity Score (DAS28), and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) respectively.

Results Serum Vit D levels were significantly lower (12.1+-8.6 ng/ml) in PSS than those of RA (18.6+-12.7 ng/ml), AS (22.6+-16.2 ng/ml) and healthy controls (19.5+-6.4 ng/ml), (P = 0.000). Significant correlations were found between Valentini scores and serum Vit D levels (r= -0.676, P = 0.000), between BASDAI and Vit D levels (r=-0.507, p=0.001); but not between DAS28 and Vit D levels(r= -0.246, p=0.088). A weak correlation was found between CRP and Vit D levels in RA group (r= -0.334, p=0.019).

Conclusions Serum 25-OH-Vitamin D levels were significantly correlated with disease activity in PSS and AS. It may be due to immune modulatory effect of Vitamin D, or merely a result of the disease process or inflammation, i.e. a negative acute phase response. Further studies are needed to clarify its position in inflammation

References

1. Kostoglou-Athanassiou I, Athanassiou P, Lyraki A, Raftakis I, Antoniadis C. Vitamin D and rheumatoid arthritis. Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Dec;3(6):181-7.

2. Muñoz-Ortego J, Torrente-Segarra V, Prieto-Alhambra D, Salman-Monte TC, Carbonell-Abello J. Prevalence and predictors of vitamin D deficiency in non-supplemented women with systemic lupus erythematosus in the Mediterranean region: a cohort study. Scand J Rheumatol. 2012;41(6):472-5.

3. Agmon-Levin N, Theodor E, Segal RM, Shoenfeld Y. Vitamin D in Systemic and Organ-Specific Autoimmune Diseases. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2012 Dec 14. [Epub ahead of print].

Disclosure of Interest None Declared