Rheumatoid arthritis: low vitamin D linked to higher disease activity in new study

Low levels of vitamin D in people with rheumatoid arthritis were associated with higher disease activity and lower quality of life compared with people with rheumatoid arthritis who had normal levels of vitamin D, says new research in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology.
A total of 97 people (86 women, 11 men, average age 59 years) with rheumatoid arthritis who did not take vitamin D supplements were studied alongside a control group of 28 people (25 women, 3 men, average age 56 years) with osteoarthritis.
Key findings include:
• Vitamin D deficiency was seen in 74 (76.3%) of the 97 people with rheumatoid arthritis and in 22 (78.6%) of the people with osteoarthritis;
• There was a negative correlation between an indicator of vitamin D and disease activity score in 28 joints in people with active arthritis (ie the less vitamin D, the worse the disease activity);
• There was a positive correlation between an indicator of vitamin D and the level of physical activity and most aspects of self-reported patient health (ie those who took more exercise had more vitamin D and better overall health);
• There was a negative correlation between an indicator of vitamin D and quality of life and depression scores in people who had rheumatoid arthritis for over one year (ie those with less vitamin D had a poorer quality of life and more symptoms of depression).
“Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in rheumatoid arthritis patients and is associated with higher disease activity and worse quality of life indices,” the authors conclude. “Regular physical activity correlates with higher vitamin D titers and better quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis. Further studies are needed to explain possible influence of vitamin D on rheumatoid arthritis activity.”

Click here to read the original research.

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