This multicenter observational study of 238 patients throughout Europe with IBD diagnoses were assessed for vitamin D status relating to disease severity and symptom management. Correlations were drawn between vitamin D status and overall quality of life for patients suffering from IBD. Vitamin D classification was defined as: deficient if less than 50nmol/l, insufficient if between 50 and 75 nmol/l and normal if more than or equal to 75 nmol/l and was checked at regular visits over the period of a year with 691 measurements taken. Authors found that 79% of the patients were either insufficient or deficient of vitamin D at diagnosis (irrespective of IBD type.) Relating to quality of life the authors found that subjects with the lowest SIBQ scores (indicating poor QOL) strongly correlated with the lowest vitamin D levels. Further, corticosteroid use also demonstrated a reduction in vitamin D levels. While the impact and necessity of vitamin D supplementation was not established in this study the significant relationship between vitamin D and IBD disease progression and management was clarified.
References:
Chetcuti Zammit S, Ellul P, Girardin G, Valpiani D, Nielsen KR, Olsen J, Goldis A, Lazar D, Shonová O, Nováková M, Sebastian S, Whitehead E, Carmona A, Martinez-Cadilla J, Dahlerup JF, Kievit ALH, Thorsgaard N, Katsanos KH, Christodoulou DK, Magro F, Salupere R, Pedersen N, Kjeldsen J, Carlsen K, Ioannis K, Bergemalm D, Halfvarson J, Duricova D, Bortlik M, Collin P, Oksanen P, Kiudelis G, Kupcinskas L, Kudsk K, Andersen V, O’Morain C, Bailey Y, Doron S, Shmuel O, Almer S, Arebi N, Misra R, Čuković-Čavka S, Brinar M, Munkholm P, Vegh Z, Burisch J. Vitamin D deficiency in a European inflammatory bowel disease inception cohort: an Epi-IBD study. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018 Nov;30(11):1297-1303. doi: 10.1097/MEG.0000000000001238. PMID: 30134383.
