After my recent evaluation, my Rheumy's office called and told me I was low in Vitamin D and suggested I begin supplementation. Is the Vitamin D thing something new that they are seeing with APS/Lupus? Just curious. I thought it was incidental, but after wandering around here on the site for a few minutes, I see there are other concerns about vitamin D.
Vitamin D: After my recent evaluation... - Hughes Syndrome A...
Vitamin D
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I think there is generally a concern about low Vit D full stop!! They (medics) are suddenly realising that there is more to the Vit D thing than they realised. At a molecular level it affects so many things. There is a study that has just been released which I have attached below that has reported the affects with APS and its been known for some time how important it is to anyone on Thyroid medication.
I think there is a lot more we will hear on Vit D because it is not a vitamin but a hormone.
Ann Rheum Dis. 2011 Jan;70(1):145-50. Epub 2010 Oct 27.
Vitamin D: an instrumental factor in the anti-
phospholipid syndrome by inhibition of tissue factor
expression.
Agmon-Levin N, Blank M, Zandman-Goddard G, Orbach H, Meroni PL, Tincani A, Doria A, Cervera R, Miesbach W, Stojanovich L, Barak V, Porat-Katz BS, Amital H, Shoenfeld Y.
The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases and Department of Medicine B, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterised by thrombosis, obstetric complications and the presence of anti-phospholipid antibodies such as anti-ß2GPI-Abs. These antibodies may set off the coagulation cascade via several mechanisms, including the induction of tissue factor (TF) expression. Vitamin D has recently emerged as an immunomodulator that might exert an anti-thrombotic effect. Therefore, we studied serum vitamin D levels in a cohort of APS patients, as well as the effect of vitamin D in an in vitro model of APS-mediated thrombosis.
METHODS: Serum vitamin D levels were measured in 179 European APS patients and 141 healthy controls using the LIAISON chemiluminescent immunoassay, and the levels were evaluated in conjunction with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. In an vitro model, anti-ß2GPI antibodies were purified from four patients with APS to evaluate the expression of TF in activated starved human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The effect of vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, 10 nm) on anti-ß2GPI-Abs mediated TF expression was analysed by immunoblot.
RESULTS: Vitamin D deficiency (serum level =15 ng/ml) was documented in 49.5% of our APS patients versus 30% of controls (p<0.001) and was significantly correlated with thrombosis (58% vs 42%; p<0.05), neurological and ophthalmic manifestations, pulmonary hypertension, livedo reticularis and skin ulcerations. In vitro vitamin D inhibited the expression of TF induced by anti- ß2GPI-antibodies.
CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency is common among APS patients and is associated with clinically defined thrombotic events. Vitamin D inhibits anti- ß2GPI-mediated TF expression in vitro. Thus, vitamin D deficiency might be associated with decreased inhibition of TF expression and increased coagulation in APS. Evaluation of vitamin D status and vitamin D supplementation in APS patients should be considered.
PMID: 20980705 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
That was interesting reading. I take calceous prescribe by my GP which are vitamin d and calcium but I was told that I am given them as I am on a premament low dose of steriod and that it thins the bones, so they give me the calceous for the calcium?
Thanks for this HP very intresting and Wojo yes low Vit D is a comon issues especiall with people with Hughes etc.
Paddy
Hi
Seems to be quite a few hughies have vit D deficiency, it also seems pretty common in lupus n fibro. Great info HP, thanks hon.
Take care gentle hugs love Sheena xxxxxx
Thanks for this interesting information
I have been told a lot of people(not just aps, lupus etc) have vit D problems. Kids were given suppliments as a dail matter of course and now all of that has stopped(guess who by) these deficiences are rearing their ugly heads.