Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels in Egyptian patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Association with disease activity, functional disability and radiological damage

AbstractAim of the workThe aim of this study was to examine vitamin D (VD) levels and its associations with disease activity, functional disability and radiological damage in Egyptian patients with RA.Patients and methodsThis study included 150 RA patients and 150 matched controls. All participants were not receiving VD supplements. Serum 25(OH)-D levels were measured in all participants. Serum 25(OH)-D levels at 30 and 20ng/ml were the cut-off values for VD insufficiency and deficiency, respectively. Associations of 25(OH)-D levels with disease activity score associated with C-reactive protein (DAS-28-CRP), functional disability assessed by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and radiological damage as assessed by the modified Larsen method were considered.ResultsLow VD levels were frequent in RA patients (22±9.2ng/ml) compared to the control (28.7±9.6ng/ml) (p<0.001); 42.7% had VD levels <20ng/ml and was