Authors: HansJacob Haga Anne Schmedes Yusuf Naderi Alicia Martin Moreno Elisabeth Peen
Publish Date: 2013/01/15
Volume: 32, Issue: 5, Pages: 629-633
Abstract
This study aims to measure the serum level of 25hydroxyvitamin D3 25OHD3 in 302 patients with rheumatoid arthritis RA studying the association to disease activity Three hundred two RA patients underwent clinical examination and serological analysis 25Hydroxyvitamin D3 was determined by highperformance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry Vitamin D3 deficiency defined as serum levels of 25hydroxyvitamin D3 below 50 nmol/l was detected in 101 RA patients 334 There was no significant correlation between the serum level of 25hydroxyvitamin D3 and Disease Activity Score 28 DAS28 3w score In a subpopulation of RA patients with very low serum level of 25OHD3 ≤15 nmol/l n = 15 there were significant differences compared to patients with normal 25OHD3 n = 200 higher percentage of patients with positive rheumatoid factor 1000 versus 775 p = 005 higher CRP 287 versus 148 mg/l p = 0001 higher number of patients treated with at least three diseasemodifying antirheumatic drugs DMARDs 400 versus 145 p = 002 higher number of patients with high disease activity DAS28 score of ≥51 200 versus 45 p = 001 lower age 545 versus 640 years p = 0003 and shorter disease duration 51 versus 103 years p = 006 Deficiency of 25hydroxyvitamin D3 was detected in 334 of the RA patients A subpopulation of patients with severe deficiency of vitamin D3 serum level of ≤15 nmol/l was characterised by all being positive for rheumatoid factor high percentage of patients with very high disease activity and high percentage of patients treated with at least three DMARDsWe are grateful for the excellent help given by the clinical and laboratory staff at the Department of Rheumatology at Sydvestjysk Sygehus especially Dorte Terp Andersen Lone Sommer Karin Bundesen Jytte Krause and Pia Rasmussen We are grateful to the Kvinherrad Rheumatism Association and Stord Rheumatism Association for their funding of the project We also thank the patients for their participation
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