title: [An investigation on vitamin D levels in peripheral blood in rheumatoid arthritis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the association between vitamin D levels and RA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two postmenopausal female patients with RA (group RA) and fifty-eight healthy volunteers (group control) were included in this study. 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-(OH) D3) levels were determined by ELISA method and disease activity of RA was assessed according to the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28). The difference of 25-(OH) D3 levels between two groups and the relationship between 25-(OH) D3 levels and DAS28 were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  25-(OH) D3 levels in peripheral blood in group RA were significantly lower than that in group control (P < 0.05), and 25-(OH)D3 levels were negatively correlated with DAS28.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D may have double actions of prevention, treatment and evaluation during the diagnosis and treatment process with RA disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130033, China. hoyud@163.com
authors.forename: Hongyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Lianna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Liqi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood*; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause
chemical_list: D002112:Calcifediol