title: LOWER LEVELS OF VITAMIN D CORRELATE WITH CLINICAL DISEASE ACTIVITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammatory bowel disease, comprising Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a group of debilitating conditions associated with deregulated mucosal immune response. Vitamin D has been implicated in immune response and gastrointestinal function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the correlation between serum vitamin D levels and disease activity and quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study enrolled ambulatory patients with inflammatory bowel disease and assessed clinical disease activity and quality of life (Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire [SIBDQ]). Vitamin D levels were determined via serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D measurement; deficiency was defined as values <20 ng/mL. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS vs 20.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 76 patients were enrolled, 19 with ulcerative colitis (25%) and 57 with Crohn's disease (75%). Overall, mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were low (26.0±10.0 ng/mL), while those in patients with Crohn's disease were significantly lower than ulcerative colitis (24.6±8.0 vs 30.0±12.5 ng/mL; P=0.032). Vitamin D deficiency was found in 30% of patients. Patients who were in clinical remission were found to have higher levels of vitamin D than those who were not in remission (28.0±10.3 vs 21.6±6.0 ng/mL, P=0.001). Inflammatory bowel disease patients with SIBDQ scores <50 were found to have significantly lower mean vitamin D levels compared with patients who had SIBDQ scores ≥50 (23.4±6.9 vs 27.9±10.8 ng/mL, P=0.041).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high proportion of patients with inflammatory bowel disease were vitamin D deficient, particularly patients with Crohn's disease. Both clinical disease activity and quality of life correlated significantly with lower levels of vitamin D, illustrating a clear need for supplementation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
authors: Departamento de Gastroenterologia, Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave, Guimarães, Portugal.
authors: Francisca Dias De
authors: FD
authors: Castro
authors: Departamento de Gastroenterologia, Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave, Guimarães, Portugal.
authors: Joana
authors: J
authors: Magalhães
authors: Departamento de Gastroenterologia, Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave, Guimarães, Portugal.
authors: Pedro Boal
authors: PB
authors: Carvalho
authors: Departamento de Gastroenterologia, Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave, Guimarães, Portugal.
authors: Maria João
authors: MJ
authors: Moreira
authors: Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave, Guimarães, Portugal.
authors: Paula
authors: P
authors: Mota
authors: Departamento de Gastroenterologia, Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave, Guimarães, Portugal.
authors: José
authors: J
authors: Cotter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D