Vitamin D Deficiency Causes Immune Dysfunction and Enables or Perpetuates the Development of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Summary

Recent studies have demonstrated that subjects with low blood levels of vitamin D are at a higher risk of developing autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). We are pursuing these studies to test the hypothesis that restoration of vitamin D levels ameliorates the manifestations of RA. We will test this hypothesis by inviting patients with RA to participate in a trial that examines the effects of oral vitamin D administration on the clinical expression of this disease. For this purpose, the participants of this trial will be asked to take an oral dose of 2,000 units of vitamin D daily for 6 months. We will examine the participant's joints, assess disease activity measures, and determine his/her blood levels of vitamin D before starting this treatment and periodically thereafter.

Timeline

Start

2009-05

Primary completion

2011-05

Completion

2011-05

Publications

• Background Andjelkovic Z, Vojinovic J, Pejnovic N, Popovic M, Dujic A, Mitrovic D, Pavlica L, Stefanovic D. Disease modifying and immunomodulatory effects of high dose 1 alpha (OH) D3 in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 1999 Jul-Aug;17(4):453-6.
• Background Cantorna MT, Hayes CE, DeLuca HF. 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol inhibits the progression of arthritis in murine models of human arthritis. J Nutr. 1998 Jan;128(1):68-72. doi: 10.1093/jn/128.1.68.
• Background Adorini L, Penna G, Giarratana N, Roncari A, Amuchastegui S, Daniel KC, Uskokovic M. Dendritic cells as key targets for immunomodulation by Vitamin D receptor ligands. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2004 May;89-90(1-5):437-41. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2004.03.013.

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Indications