Researchers discovered an association between hypovitaminosis D (also known as vitamin D deficiency) and high inflammatory activity, severe organ damage, culminative dosage of glucocorticoids, bone turnover marker (BTM) changes, and bone mineral density (BMD) decline in people with lupus. Vitamin D deficiency is a disorder caused by a shortage of vitamin D in the body from either inadequate dietary intake or health conditions that prevent the body from properly absorbing vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is common in people with lupus. Previous studies have shown that vitamin D insufficiency occurs in two-thirds of people with lupus and deficiency occurs in 20% of people with the disease.

The researchers looked at vitamin D levels and BMD in 101 people (90 women and 11 men) with lupus. 29 of the 101 people were placed in the study control group. Study participants were tested on a number of factors, including vitamin D levels and C reactive protein (a standard biomarker for inflammation) among others. Researchers found that among the participants:

• 62.3% had vitamin D deficiency, 29.7% exhibited vitamin D insufficiency, and only 7.93% had normal levels of vitamin D.
• Women had significantly lower vitamin D levels than men by more than 25%.
• Vitamin D status was not associated with age or disease course.

Vitamin D is later developed into the hormone calcitriol which is important to regulating calcium in the body and for bone metabolism. Vitamin D is also important in the human immune response. Further research is needed to understand the role of Vitamin D in lupus disease, specifically the relationship between BTM and BTD and inflammation. Learn more about lupus and bone health.

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