REVIEW ARTICLE
Vitamin D and Spondyloarthritis: Review of the Literature
Chiara Crotti1, Andrea Becciolini2, Martina Biggioggero1, Ennio Giulio Favalli2, *
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2018Volume: 12
Issue: Suppl-1, M3
First Page: 214
Last Page: 225
Publisher ID: TORJ-12-214
DOI: 10.2174/1874312901812010214
Article History:
Received Date: 12/12/2017Revision Received Date: 25/3/2018
Acceptance Date: 22/4/2018
Electronic publication date: 27/12/2018
Collection year: 2018
open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode). This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Background:
Spondyloarthritides (SpAs) encompass heterogeneous diseases sharing similar genetic background, pathogenic mechanisms, and phenotypic features. Vitamin D is essential for calcium metabolism and skeletal homeostasis. Some recent evidences reported supplemental functions of vitamin D, such as modulation of inflammatory reactions.
Objective:
To analyze published data about a possible association between vitamin D and SpAs.
Results:
Vitamin D could play a role in immune reactions, influencing both immune and adaptive response. Vitamin D deficiency is more frequent in SpAs than in general population: an active and more severe disease infers patients’ mobility and reduces sunlight exposure. Quiescent inflammatory bowel disease, frequently associated with SpAs, could worsen vitamin D deficiency. All the parameters related to UVB exposure are the most important determinants for vitamin D status and need to be considered evaluating the vitamin D levels in SpAs.
Apart from musculoskeletal problems, patients affected by SpAs frequently suffer from other comorbidities, especially cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis, and vitamin D status could have a relevance in this field. Bone is involved in SpAs with a dualistic role, coexisting trabecular bone resorption and new bone formation.
It seems rational to monitor vitamin D levels in SpA subjects and to target it to global health threshold.
Conclusion:
Literature data were not completely in agreement about a possible relation between poor vitamin D status and onset or worse disease course of SpAs. In fact, these results come from cross-sectional studies, which affect our ability to infer causality. Therefore, large, randomized controlled trials are needed.
