title: Vitamin D status and its association with quality of life, physical activity, and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D deficiency is common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and may be related to disease activity. Population-based studies have shown the influence of vitamin D deficiency on quality of life (QoL), but it was not investigated in RA patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine possible relationship between vitamin D deficiency, QoL, physical activity (PA), and disease activity in RA.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 97 consecutive RA patients without vitamin D supplementation (86 women and 11 men, aged 59.4 ± 12 years), serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D), calcium, phosphorus, and parathyroid hormone were measured. The patients completed Short Form 36 (SF-36), Beck Depression Inventory, and Health Assessment Questionnaire, assessed the intensity of pain, fatigue, and PA. Disease Activity Score in 28 Joints was used to assess disease activity. A comparison control group consisted of 28 osteoarthritis patients (25 women and 3 men aged 56.2 ± 15 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vitamin D deficiency was detected in 76.3% of RA and in 78.6% of osteoarthritis patients (P = 0.75). There was a negative correlation between 25(OH)D serum concentration and Disease Activity Score in 28 Joints in patients with active arthritis. There was a positive correlation between serum 25(OH)D and the level of PA and most aspects of SF-36, and negative correlation between serum 25(OH)D and Health Assessment Questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory in patients with disease duration of 1 year or longer. After inclusion of PA into multivariable analysis, only the correlations between 25(OH)D and SF-36 mental subscale (MCS) and pain remained significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in RA patients and is associated with higher disease activity and worse QoL indices. Regular PA correlates with higher vitamin D titers and better QoL in RA. Further studies are needed to explain possible influence of vitamin D on RA activity.
authors: From the Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Raczkiewicz
authors: Bartłomiej
authors: B
authors: Kisiel
authors: Maciej
authors: M
authors: Kulig
authors: Witold
authors: W
authors: Tłustochowicz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010003:Osteoarthritis; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D