Abstract
Background
Vitamin D (vit D) deficiency has recently been associated with risk of development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this research was to assess vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene expression in Egyptian patients with RA and its relation with the inflammatory state, disease activity, and functional disability.
Results
RA patients had significantly lower vit D level and VDR gene expression compared to controls (mean ± 17.0 ± 6.65, 20.73 ± 8.42 ng/ml, p < 0.05 and 3.29 ± 5.47, 14.22 ± 12.60, p < 0.001 respectively). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for VDR gene expression in RA patients revealed (area under the curve 0.826, cutoff value for low VDR expression 1.05 ng/ml). Patients with low VDR expression had significantly higher ESR, CRP, double positive RF+ anti-CCP+, DAS28, and MHAQ (p < 0.001, p = 0.001, p < 0.05, p < 0.001, p < 0.001) respectively.
Conclusion
Vitamin D and VDR expression are significantly lower in RA patients than controls. Patients with low VDR gene expression had significantly higher disease activity and disability. This may suggest that apart from low vit D levels, low VDR expression is associated with inflammatory process and it has a potential role in RA pathogenesis and prognosis. Further multicenter studies are needed to confirm these findings.
AB0003 Lack of association between rheumatoid arthritis and vitamin d receptor polymorphisms in koreans
