Bone Abstracts

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and may be related to disease activity.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between 25(OH)D level and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Materials and methods: The study included 61 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 73.8% were women, 70.4 patients were younger 60 years old. Subjects suffering from liver and kidney insufficiency and those who had received vitamin D in the previous 3 months have been excluded. Disease activity was assessed by DAS-28 score, joint pain degree, morning stiffness time and laboratory measures including Hb and ESR.

The level of 25(OH)D_total was evaluated by electrochemiluminescence method (Elecsys 2010, Roche). Vitamin D deficiency was defined as a 25(OH)D below 20 ng/ml, and vitamin D insufficiency as 25(OH)D of 21–29 ng/ml.

Results: In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, the frequency of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was 32.8 and 55.7% accordingly. 14.7% subjects with rheumatoid arthritis had severe vitamin D deficiency. 25(OH)D was associated with morning stiffness (r=−0.35; P=0.04), ESR level (r=−0.36; P=0.05), DAS-28 (r=−0.24; P=0.05), Hb (r=0.27; P=0.01).

Summary: Physicians should consider 25(OH)D level in management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.