Most patients with systemic sclerosis may have low vitamin D levels

In the spring and summer seasons during a 2-year period, 80% of patients with systemic sclerosis had deficient or insufficient levels of vitamin D, according to the results of a recently published study.

Researchers studied the results of blood sample analyses from 58 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and 58 healthy participants without autoimmune disease or autoantibodies who were matched for age and sex. Patients with SSc were evaluated for disease activity and severity.

A significantly greater number of patients with SSc had insufficient or deficient levels of vitamin D compared with healthy participants. Fifty percent of the patients with SSc had deficient levels of vitamin D, 34.5% had insufficient levels and 15.5% had normal levels of vitamin D compared with 10.3% of healthy participants who had deficient levels of vitamin D, 46.6% of healthy individuals who had insufficient levels and 43.1% of healthy participants who had sufficient levels of vitamin D.

Of 22 patients (38%) with diffuse SSc, 77% had deficient levels of vitamin D; 18% had insufficient levels and 5% had normal levels of vitamin D compared with 62% of patients with limited disease, of which 33% had vitamin D deficiency; 44% had insufficiency and 23% had normal levels of vitamin D.

Patients with SSc with suboptimal levels of vitamin D also presented with higher disease activity parameters, but normal cacemia, calciuria and parathyroid hormone. No significant differences in vitamin D levels were observed among 16 patients who received low doses of prednisone or up to a 10-mg prednisone equivalent compared to patients not treated with steroids. – by Shirley Pulawski

Reference:

Romero J, et al. Paper #1983. Presented at: American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting; Nov. 7-11, 2015; San Francisco.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.