title: Association of hypovitaminosis D with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and inflammation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nowadays it is described a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), which is associated with some clinical manifestations and increased inflammatory activity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association between vitamin D insufficiency with SLE and inflammatory markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study, in which have been evaluated 45 SLE patients and 24 controls without the disease. Levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH) D] less than 30 ng/mL were considered inadequate. Disease activity was assessed by the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). High sensitivity C reactive protein (hsCRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were evaluated for verification of the inflammatory status. For assessment of renal involvement, analysis of abnormal elements and urinay sediment (AES), quantitative hematuria and pyuria, proteinuria and creatinine clearance in 24-hour urine and serum anti-double stranded DNA were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of 25(OH)D insufficiency was 55% in SLE patients and 8% in the controls participants (p = 0.001). The median of 25(OH)D was lower in patients than in controls. Patients with insufficient 25(OH)D had higher levels of IL-6 and higher prevalence of hematuria in the AES. There was no correlation between vitamin D and SLEDAI or lupus nephritis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, vitamin D deficiency was more prevalent in patients with SLE and was associated with higher levels of IL-6 and hematuria.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora.
authors.forename: Viviane Angelina
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora.
authors.forename: Marcus Gomes
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bastos
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora.
authors.forename: Natália Maria da Silva
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Universidade Salgado de Oliveira.
authors.forename: Henrique Novais
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Mansur
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora.
authors.forename: Nádia Rezende Barbosa
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Raposo
authors.affiliation: Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais.
authors.forename: Daniele Maria Knupp
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora.
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos Ferreira
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: de Andrade
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult