title: Association between hypovitaminosis D and systemic sclerosis: True or fake?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency is considered a major factor triggering and enhancing several autoimmune disorders; hypovitaminosis D has been reported to be common in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). Previous studies assessing vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in SSc have been reviewed, and the relation with pathogenesis and clinical features has been examined.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Eligibility criteria were: reporting measurement of Vitamin D serum levels in all participants and evaluating adult onset-SSc individuals as patients group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The association between clinical features and low hormone levels is controversial. Manifold data have shown vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency to have a potential role in the pathogenesis of disease, providing inconclusive findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Promoting the onset of SSc depends on the interaction between genetics, environment and infections. It remains a sound question whether Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency is an environment-linked immunological heckler, making infectious agents taking root.
authors.affiliation: Sezione Biochimica Clinica e Medicina Molecolare Clinica, Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bivona
authors.affiliation: Sezione Biochimica Clinica e Medicina Molecolare Clinica, Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Agnello
authors.affiliation: Sezione Biochimica Clinica e Medicina Molecolare Clinica, Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pivetti
authors.affiliation: UOC Medicina di Laboratorio - CoreLab, AOUP "P. Giaccone", Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milano
authors.affiliation: Sezione Biochimica Clinica e Medicina Molecolare Clinica, Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scazzone
authors.affiliation: Sezione Biochimica Clinica e Medicina Molecolare Clinica, Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Bruna Lo
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Sasso
authors.affiliation: Sezione Biochimica Clinica e Medicina Molecolare Clinica, Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy; UOC Medicina di Laboratorio - CoreLab, AOUP "P. Giaccone", Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: marcello.ciaccio@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciaccio
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: Autoimmunity; Hypovitaminosis D; Systemic Sclerosis; Vitamin D