Higher risk for low vitamin D seen for patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases

Patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, had a greater likelihood of vitamin D deficiency compared to participants without chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases, according data presented at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting.

A group of 2,234 patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases, including 775 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 738 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and 721 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) were compared to 677 participants without chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases enrolled in the CARdiovascular in rheuMAtology (CARMA) project.

The median levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D 20.4 ng/mL among patients with RA, 20.9 ng/mL among patients with AS and 20 ng/mL among patients with PsA compared to 24.8 ng/mL for participants without rheumatic diseases, and with deficiency defined as less than 20 ng/mL. Hydroxyvitamin D deficiency was observed in 40.5% of patients with RA, 39.7% of patients with AS and in 40.9% of patients with PsA compared to 26.7% of patients without rheumatic diseases.

The association between patients with RA and hydroxyvitamin D reached statistical significance with an adjusted OR of 1.46 but the association did not reach significance for patients with AS (adjusted OR: 1.23) or PsA (adjusted OR: 1.32).

Slight significance was seen between anti-citrullinated peptide antibody-positivity and deficient hydroxyvitamin D levels in patients with RA (adjusted OR: 1.45) and between the Bath AS Functional Index (BAFSI) in patients with AS (adjusted OR: 1.08). – by Shirley Pulawski

Reference:

Urruticoechea A, et al. Paper #675. Presented at: American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting; Nov. 7-11, 2015; San Francisco.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.