AB1137

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY AND DISEASE ACTIVITY IN JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS

E. Comak ^{1 1,*}M. Koyun ¹S. Özdem ²C. S. Dogan ¹A. Uslu Gokceoglu ¹S. Akman ¹

¹Pediatric Nephrology - Rheumatology, ²Biochemistry, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Türkiye

Background: Beyond its traditional metabolic effects, vitamin D also have immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. Serum levels of vitamin D have been found to be low in several autoimmune or immune-mediated diseases.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the vitamin D status in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and also to examine whether there is an association between serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (vitamin D) and disease activity in JIA.

Methods: The children with JIA who had an outpatient visit between March and April 2011 were evaluated retrospectively. Demographic data, disease duration, treatment modalities, physical examination findings, disease activity, sedimentation, and vitamin D levels were evaluated. Disease activity was calculated with JADAS-27. Serum vitamin D levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method.

Results: A total of 47 patients, 29 (61.7%) girls with a mean age of 9.3±3.9 years and median follow-up period of 28 months, were included in the study. 12 patients (25.5%) were using vitamin D supplement at the time of the study. The mean serum vitamin D level of all patients was 17.74 ng/ml ±11.66. Vitamin D insufficiency (serum vitamin D: 15-20 ng/ml) and deficiency (serum vitamin D level <15 ng/ml) were found in 9 (19.1%) and 25 patients (53.2%), respectively. Only 13 patients (27.7%) have adequate vitamin D levels (> 20 ng/ml). There is a significant negative correlation between Vitamin D levels and disease activity (p=0.01, r=-0,37).

Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is common in children with JIA. There is a relationship between vitamin D levels and disease activity. Clinicians should be aware of vitamin D deficiency in patients with JIA.

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared