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Vitamin D deficiency linked to ulcerative colitis activity
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Patients with ulcerative colitis are more likely to have active disease if they also are vitamin D deficient, according to recent results.
In a cross-sectional study, researchers evaluated 34 adult patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) who visited a gastroenterology clinic between January 2007 and October 2009. The UC disease activity, as indicated via the six-point partial Mayo index, of patients with normal vitamin D levels was compared with that of patients with a 25-OH vitamin D deficiency recorded within 30 days of their clinic visit.
Vitamin D deficiency (levels less than 30 ng/mL) was observed in 19 cases, including 12 with severe deficiency (less than 20 ng/mL). Significantly more vitamin D-deficient participants experienced active UC (68%) than those with normal vitamin D levels (32%) (P=.04 for difference). The mean Mayo index score was 1.47 (range 0-5) among those with vitamin D deficiency, compared with 1 (range 0-4) in the nondeficient group.
Stratification according to vitamin D status as sufficient (more than 30 ng/mL), insufficient (20-29 ng/mL) or deficient (less than 20 ng/mL) indicated an inverse relationship between vitamin D levels and UC activity that approached statistical significance (P=.06 for comparison between groups). Investigators also noted that more vitamin-deficient patients reported steroid use (47% vs. 7%, P=.02), but use of other immunosuppressants such as infliximab, azathioprine or adalimumab was not significantly different between groups.
“There is preliminary evidence for the potential role of vitamin D as a factor in the clinical disease course of UC,” the researchers wrote, adding that the retrospective design and the inability to control for factors such as dietary habits limited the study. “Further prospective investigation is needed to determine the clinical utility of vitamin D monitoring in patients with UC and whether there is a role for vitamin D as a treatment for UC.”
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