Authors: P Oelzner A Müller F Deschner M Hüller K Abendroth G Hein G Stein
Publish Date: 2014/01/28
Volume: 62, Issue: 3, Pages: 193-198
Abstract
In several studies on patients with rheumatoid arthritis an association of bone loss with a persistently high disease activity has been found The aim of our study was to investigate the relation between disease activity and serum levels of vitamin D metabolites parathyroid hormone PTH and parameters of bone turnover in patients with rheumatoid arthritis A total of 96 patients 83 women and 13 men were divided into three groups according to disease activity measured by serum levels of Creactive protein CRP In the whole group serum levels of 125dihydroxyvitamin D3 125OH2D3 P 0001 and PTH P 005 were negatively correlated to disease activity The urinary excretion of collagen crosslinks—pyridinoline Pyd P 0001 and deoxypyridinoline Dpd P 005—showed a positive correlation with disease activity The inverse correlation between serum 125OH2D3 and disease activity was separately evident in patients with P 0001 and without P 001 glucocorticoid treatment in pre P 001 and postmenopausal P 0001 women and in men P 001 125OH2D3 and PTH serum levels were positively correlated to serum bone alkaline phosphatase ALP P 001 The results indicate that high disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is associated with an alteration in vitamin D metabolism and increased bone resorption The decrease of 125OH2D3 levels in these patients may contribute to a negative calcium balance and inhibition of bone formation Furthermore low levels of 125OH2D3 as an endogenous immunomodulator suppressing activated T cells and the proliferation of cells may accelerate the arthritic process in rheumatoid arthritis
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