Vitamin D Appears Beneficial for RA

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Vitamin D Appears Beneficial In Reducing The Risk For Rheumatoid Arthritis

 

A DGReview of : " Vitamin D intake is inversely associated with rheumatoid

arthritis: Results from the Iowa Women's Health Study "

Arthritis & Rheumatism

 

02/12/2004

By Jill Taylor

 

 

Greater intake of vitamin D, especially in the form of supplements, appears to

be inversely associated with the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in

elderly women, say researchers.

 

Vitamin D has immunologic activity independent of its role in calcium

regulation. In animal models, vitamin D has been demonstrated to suppress the

development of autoimmunity, but its effects on the human immune system are not

yet established.

 

Relatively little information is available regarding dietary or nutritional

intake prior to RA onset, and the association of vitamin D with RA onset has not

been previously assessed. To address this, Linda A. Merlino, MSc, College of

Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States, and colleagues.

performed a study to evaluate the association of dietary and supplemental

vitamin D intake with RA incidence.

 

The study population was an at-risk subset of participants enrolled in the Iowa

Women's Health Study, a population-based prospective cohort study of 41,836

women who responded to a detailed self-administered questionnaire. Data

regarding dietary variables and RA symptom onset for 29,368 subjects, aged 55 to

69 years, was collected for analysis.

 

A total of 152 cases of RA occurred during 11 years of follow up. Analysis

showed that overall, greater intake of vitamin D was inversely associated with

risk of RA (relative risk [RR] 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.44-1.00, P

for trend = .05).

 

Furthermore, inverse associations were observed for both dietary (RR 0.72, 95%

CI 0.46-1.14, P for trend = 0.16) and supplemental (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.43-1.00, P

for trend = 0.03) forms of vitamin D.

 

Although no strong associations were found between RA risk and individual food

items, an inverse association with RA risk was suggested for a composite measure

of milk products (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.42-1.01, P for trend = 0.06).

 

Interestingly, smoking appeared to contribute to RA risk. Relative to

non-smokers, smokers with low vitamin D intake were at increased risk for RA (RR

1.8, 95% CI 1.16-2.75).

 

According to the researchers, the results of the study are largely hypothesis

generating and will require further investigation.

 

 

Arthritis Rheum 2004 Jan;50:1:72-7. " Vitamin D intake is inversely associated

with rheumatoid arthritis: Results from the Iowa Women's Health Study "

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