Vitamin D status in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis

P. Gisondi 1, paolo.gisondi at univr.it; M. Rossini 1; A. Di Cesare 3; L. Idolazzi 1; S. Farina 1' G. Beltrami 2; K. Peris 3; G. Girolomoni 2
1 Department of Medicine, Section of Dermatology and Venereology, *Section of Rheumatology
2 III Division of Geriatrics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
3 Department of Dermatology and Internal Medicine and Public Health, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
British Journal of Dermatology 6 FEB 2012

Background? Vitamin D could have important immunomodulatory effects in psoriasis.

Objectives? To measure 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcium serum levels in patients with psoriasis and the associations with some relevant clinical features.

Methods? A cross-sectional study was conducted over 1 year including 145 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis, 112 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 141 healthy controls. 25(OH)D, PTH and calcium serum levels were measured in a centralized laboratory. Demography, comorbidities, disease severity and exposure time to sunlight (which was derived by questionnaire) were collected.

Results? The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D levels < 20 ng mL?1] in

• patients with psoriasis was 57·8% vs.
• 37·5% in patients with RA and
• 29·7% in healthy controls (P < 0·001).

In winter, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency rose to

• 80·9% in patients with psoriasis, to
• 41·3% in those with RA and to
• 30·3% in healthy controls (P < 0·001).

Patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis did not differ in 25(OH)D serum levels nor in the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. In the logistic regression analysis, vitamin D deficiency was associated with psoriasis independently of age, sex, body mass index, calcium, PTH levels and season of blood sampling. A limitation is that the study design does not allow a causal or temporal relationship between vitamin D deficiency and psoriasis to be established.

Conclusions? Vitamin D deficiency may be common in patients with psoriasis, especially in winter.

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