An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found vitamin D deficiency was associated with mucosal inflammation in ulcerative colitis patients.
Study author Joel Pekow, MD, and colleagues examined vitamin D concentrations in 230 prospectively enrolled UC patients. The researchers then compared the patients' vitamin D concentrations to their Mayo endoscopic scores, total Mayo scores and histologic activity. They also compared colonic mucosal expression concentrations of epithelial junction proteins and pro-inflammatory cytokines between patients with low or high vitamin D concentrations.
Here are four points:
1. Vitamin D concentrations showed significant inverse associations with Mayo endoscopy scores, total Mayo scores and histologic activity.
2. Patients with vitamin D concentrations less than 20 ng/mL were associated with a reduced mucosal transcript.
3. Conversely, patients with vitamin D concentrations less than 20 ng/mL had an increase of mucosal transcript expression concentrations of the pro-inflammatory cytokines.
4. Dr. Pekow concludes this study supports the routine monitoring of vitamin D levels in UC patients.