Short communication
Vol. 141 No. 1718 (2011)
Vitamin D levels in Swiss multiple sclerosis patients
Summary
BACKGROUND: Vitamin D levels have not been previously published for Swiss multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. An association between vitamin D status and disease activity in MS has been suggested.
AIM:To define 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in Swiss multiple sclerosis patients.
METHOD: Cross sectional case control study.
RESULTS:25(OH)D levels of 80 patients (76.3% female, mean age 37.9 ± 10.6 years, mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 2.6 ± 1.2) were collected. Mean levels of 25(OH)D were 57.0 ± 29.7 nmol/l (range 18–175 nmol/l) in all patients. A total of 21.3% of patients had levels ≤37 nmol/l and 75% had levels ≤70 nmol/l. 25(OH)D levels in patients with previous high disease activity were 52.8 ± 23.1 nmol/l versus 58.9 ± 32.3 nmol/l in the low disease activity group (p = 0.4).
CONCLUSION:Theprevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency was high in Swiss MS patients.
References
- Hayes CE, Nashold FE, Spach KM, et al. The immunological functions of the vitamin D endocrine system. Cell Mol Biol. 2003;49:277–300.
- vander Mei IA, Ponsonby AL, Dwyer T, et al. Past exposure to sun, skin phenotype, and risk of multiple sclerosis: case-control study. BMJ. 2003;327:316.
- Munger KL, Levin LI, Hollis BW, et al. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and risk of multiple sclerosis. JAMA. 2006;296:2832–38.
- Poser CM, Paty DW, Scheinberg L, et al. New diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: guidelines for research protocols. Ann Neurol. 1983;13:227–31.
- McDonald WI, Compston A, Edan G, et al. Recommended diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: guidelines from the International Panel on the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol. 2001;50:121–7.
- http://www.swissmedic.ch/zulassungen/00171/00181/00801/index.html?lang=de
- Holick MF. Vitamin D Deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:266–81.
- Smolders J, Menheere P, Kessels A, Damoiseaux J, Hupperts R. Association of vitamin D metabolite levels with relapse rate and disability in multiple sclerosis. MultScler. 2008;14(9):1220–4. Epub 2008 Jul 24.
- Burnand B, Sloutskis D, Gianoli F, et al. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D: distribution and determinants in the Swis population. Am J ClinNutr. 1992;56:537–42.
- Soilu-Hanninen M, Airas L, Mononen I, et al. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D levels in serum at the onset of multiple sclerosis. MultScler. 2005;11:266–71.
- Smolders J, Menheere P, Kessels A, Damoiseaux J, Hupperts R. Association of vitamin D metabolite levels with relapse rate and disability in multiple sclerosis. MultScler. 2008;14(9):1220–4. Epub 2008 Jul 24.
- Merlino LA, Curtis J, Mikuls TR, et al. Vitamin D Intake Is Inversely Associated With Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2004;50:72–7.