title: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone in patients with ankylosing spondylitis before and after a three-week rehabilitation treatment at high altitude during winter and spring.
abstract: Does a sojourn at high altitude during the winter and spring improve vitamin D status (and possibly suppress parathyroid hormone [PTH]) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS)? In 73 patients with AS, serum concentrations of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D] and PTH were determined before and after a three-week rehabilitation treatment at Bad Gastein (1000 m above sea level). At the first examination, serum 25(OH)D was median (25th, 75th percentile) 15.5 ng mL-1 (10.0 ng mL-1, 20.6 ng mL-1). Thirteen patients (18%) had a 25(OH)D concentration below 8 ng mL-1. In 53 patients (73%) the level was below 20 ng mL-1. After the sojourn, 25(OH)D significantly (p = 0.02) increased to 19.7 (11.3, 24.6) ng mL-1. PTH did not change significantly, being 32 (22.4, 43.9) pg mL-1 before and 30.3 (24.1, 39.9) pg mL-1 after the sojourn. Analysing different periods of sojourn, a significant (p < 0.001) increase in 25(OH)D was found in April but not in the other months. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis may have extremely low levels of 25(OH)D. The results of the present study suggest that a sojourn at high altitude in early spring is liable to reduce vitamin D deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute Gastein, Bad Gastein.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falkenbach
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sedlmeyer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Staudinger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herold
mesh_terms: D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000531:Altitude; D001317:Austria; D005260:Female; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D012621:Seasons; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2