title: Vitamin D levels in juvenile idiopathic arthritis from an equatorial region.
abstract: We aimed to describe the serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients living in a low-latitude (3°43'S) region. Fifty JIA patients, 31 (62 %) female, seen between May 2012 and April 2013 in the northeast of Brazil had clinical data and serum collected for determination of 25OHD and parathyroid hormone (PTH) using a chemiluminescent ELISA; 20 age- and sex-matched controls were used for comparison. Mean age was 13.4 ± 4 years. Twenty-five (50 %), 15 (30 %), 4 (8 %), 4 (8 %), and 2 (4 %) patients were of the polyarticular, oligoarticular, systemic, enthesitis-related, and undifferentiated categories, respectively. Mean 25OHD was 31.6 ± 10 and 30.4 ± 5.7 ng/mL in patients and controls (P > 0.05), respectively; PTH was normal in JIA and controls; 25OHD was similar regardless of JIA category, disease activity, or severity measured by JADAS-27, CHAQ, or presence of joint deformities. Twenty-six (52 %), 20 (40 %), and 4 (8 %) patients were considered to have optimal, sufficient, and deficient 25OHD levels, respectively, whereas 11 (52 %) and 10 (48 %) controls had optimal and sufficient 25OHD. Ethnicity, body mass index, seasonal variation, and use of steroids did not influence 25OHD levels. This is the first study on 25OHD levels in JIA patients living in a low-latitude region, showing the lowest prevalence of vitamin D deficiency ever reported. Serum 25OHD was similar in JIA and controls and did not vary regardless of JIA category or severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sâmia Araújo
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: de Sousa Studart
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Caroline Rocha Melo
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aryana Lushese Lima Feitosa
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Marinho
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Carolina Matias Dinelly
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Service, Pediatric Rheumatology Division, Hospital Geral de Fortaleza, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Nobre
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Rabelo Júnior
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Melo Nunes
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hermano Alexandre Lima
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. arocha@ufc.br.|, Rua Coronel Nunes de Melo, 1315, Rodolfo Teofilo, Fortaleza, CE, CEP: 60.430-270, Brazil. arocha@ufc.br.
authors.forename: Francisco Airton Castro
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: Autoimmunity; Epidemiology; Juvenile idiopathic arthritis; Parathyroid hormone; Vitamin D