Relationship between vitamin D status and the inflammatory state in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria.
BACKGROUND
Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is an immune-inflammatory disease, characterized by acute phase response (APR) and immune activation. There has been increasing evidence showing that vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is associated with increased incidence and/or severity of immune-inflammatory disorders.


OBJECTIVE
To assess relationship between vitamin D status and C-reactive protein (CRP), a nonspecific inflammatory marker of CSU activity.


METHODS
Concentrations of CRP and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], a biomarker of vitamin D status were measured in serum of CSU patients and compared with the healthy controls.


RESULTS
Serum 25(OH)D concentration was significantly lower in CSU group as compared with the normal subjects. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (< 20 ng/ml) was significantly higher in patients with CSU than among normal population. There were no significant differences in prevalence of 25(OH)D insufficiency between the groups. Serum CRP concentrations were significantly higher in CSU patients as compared with the healthy subjects. There were no significant correlations between CRP and 25(OH)D concentrations in CSU patients.


CONCLUSIONS
CSU is associated with lower serum 25(OH)D concentration and higher prevalence of its deficiency. The results failed to show any effect of vitamin D status on circulating CRP concentrations in CSU. A potential role of vitamin D in pathogenesis and/or additive therapy of CSU needs to be examined in other cohorts of CSU patients as well as in larger studies.
Department of Internal Diseases, Dermatology and Allergology in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 10, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland.
Alicja
A
Grzanka
Department of Pediatric in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
Edyta
E
Machura
Department of Microbiology and Immunology in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
Bogdan
B
Mazur
Clinical Department of Otolaryngology in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
Maciej
M
Misiolek
Department of Basic Medical Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
Jerzy
J
Jochem
Department of Prosthetic Dentistry in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
Jacek
J
Kasperski
Department of Internal Diseases, Dermatology and Allergology in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 10, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland.
Alicja
A
Kasperska-Zajac