JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS AND VITAMIN D STATUS IN UKRAINIAN PATIENTS.

Plenty of studies demonstrated an association between a Vitamin D deficiency and several autoimmune disorders, such as diabetes mellitus, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adult patients. This study was aimed to assess probable association between the 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) features and the possible relationship between serum vitamin D level and disease activity. 69 patients with JIA were examined and 15 healthy children were chosen as the control group. The mean age of patients was 10 years 8 months ±4 years 6 months (45 female, 24 male). 25 patients with oligoarthicular subtype of disease, 34 with poliarthicular sybtype and 10 patient with undifferentiated arthritis . The total duration of the disease was 4 years 1 month ± 1 year 1 month. Patients got methotrexate therapy (15mg/m2). Any of the patients were not treated by corticosteroids. The serum level of vitamin D was measured through blood test by chemiluminescence method. The relationship between the level of vitamin D and disease activity was analyzed based on juvenile arthritis disease activity score (JADAS27). The average level of vitamin D in serum was 22,69±7,8 ng/ml at the control group the vitamin D status was 28,67±5,06 ng/ml. In spite of the fact that a decrease in vitamin D status was observed in both groups, however in the group of healthy children it was significantly higher (p>0.05). Using the regression method, a significant relationship was established between the number of active joints and the age of patients, duration of disease, the level of vitamin D in serum, the number of injured joints, and disease activity (accordant to JADAS27 score) (number of active joints = - 1,144 + 0,005 x age of patients - 0,007x duration of disease + 0,292 x the number of injured joints + 0,033 x level of vitamin D + 0,077 x the number of points accordant to JADAS27). The monitoring of vitamin D level is advisable to carry out during observing the children with JIA. It can be useful for timely correction of vitamin D deficiency and preventions both skeleton and non-skeleton complications. That may improve the quality of life of patients and their families.