Vitamin D deficiency in Saudi patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
To determine vitamin D status among Saudi patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) versus matched control group.


METHODS
Hospital-based cohorts of 165 SLE patients and 214 SLE-free volunteers were recruited at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between January 2006 and June 2008. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] were measured. Vitamin D sufficiency is defined as a serum level of 25(OH)D >75 nmol/L (>30 ng/ml). A level ranging between >50 to <75 nmol/L (>20 to <30 ng/ml) is considered as vitamin D insufficiency, whereas <50 nmol/L (<20 ng/ml) as vitamin D deficiency. Both deficiency and insufficiency are considered to comprise vitamin D inadequacy.


RESULTS
The prevalence of SLE patients with 25(OH) D inadequacy and deficiency was higher than in the control group: 98.8 versus 55%, 89.7 versus 20% (p<0.0001). Only 2 (1.2%) SLE patients had adequate levels of 25(OH)D compared to 96 (45%) of control group (p<0.0001). The mean serum levels (nmol/L) of 25(OH)D in SLE patients with vitamin D inadequacy and deficiency in comparison to the control group were 22.3 +/- 13.6 versus 44.5 +/- 17.5 (p<0.0001) and 19.1 +/- 9.5 versus 22.9 +/- 6.7 (p=0.0152). No significant differences were evident in female and male patients with SLE with respect to the mean serum levels of 25(OH)D and prevalence of its deficiency.


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin D inadequacy is highly prevalent in Saudi patients with SLE. Vitamin D supplementation and its evaluation in the treatment of SLE should be considered.
Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. lhhd71@hotmail.com
Laila H
LH
Damanhouri
D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*
D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D