VITAMIN D LEVELS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS DISEASE ACTIVITY
VIOLETA BOJINCĂ1,2, CLAUDIU C. POPESCU2,3*, IOANA CRISTINA SAULESCU1,2, DANIELA OPRIS1,2, ANDREEA BORANGIU1,2, LAURA GROSEANU1,2, ANDRA BALANESCU1,2, RUXANDRA IONESCU1,2, MIHAI BOJINCA2,4
1.“Sfanta Maria” Clinical Hospital, 37-39th Ion Mihalache Boulevard, Bucharest, Romania
2.“Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 37th Dionisie Lupu Street, Bucharest, Romania
3.“Ion Stoia” Clinical Center for Rheumatic Diseases, 5th Thomas Masaryk Street, Bucharest, Romania
4.“Dr. Ion Cantacuzino” Clinical Hospital, 5-7 Ion Movila Street, Bucharest, Romania
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The objective of the present paper was to establish the correlation of vitamin D (VD) with various systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) specific variables. The study comprised 65 SLE patients that prospectively underwent clinical and laboratory (including VD status) evaluation. Our results showed that abnormal VD levels were highly prevalent among SLE patients; low VD levels and VD deficiency are associated with higher disease activity, higher damage and glucocorticoid treatment; VD deficiency was an independent risk factor for flare and high disease activity, while VD supplementation was a protective factor for flare status. Lymphopenia was associated with lower VD levels, VD insufficiency was more prevalent among SLE patients with cutaneous involvement and normal VD levels were more prevalent among SLE patients with neurologic involvement. Abnormal VD levels were not associated with SLE serology markers. In conclusion hypovitaminosis D can be considered a SLE disease manifestation and routine VD testing and supplementation in SLE could be beneficial.
