Vitamin D deficiency in Crohn's disease: Prevalence, risk factors and supplement use in an outpatient setting

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency was common in patients with CD and associated with longstanding disease, smoking and winter. While over 40% of patients used a vitamin D-containing supplement, the dosages were inadequate to prevent deficiency. Appropriate vitamin D screening and supplementation should be considered in the context of health promotion of outpatients with CD.

Hypovitaminosis D and Low Bone Mineral Density in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients

“…This is a factor known to be associated with a more severe course of illness. Our data agree with what has been already reported in the literature by several authors [20,[25][26][27]. The mechanism linking the two aspects has not been clarified yet.…”

“…The role of the corticosteroid therapy in patients with IBD has been generally limited to the evaluation of the relationship with alterations in bone densitometry. Few case studies have considered the relationship with the serum level of 25-OH-vitamin D, and in general these studies tend to exclude an inverse correlation between the corticosteroid therapy and the reduction of circulating levels of vitamin D [20]. In our study we revealed a positive correlation between the history of steroid-dependence and reduced levels of vitamin D, while there would be no correlation with the use of corticosteroids under 25 years of age.…”

“…This lack of correlation has been reported in the literature by several authors [18,19] who, among other mechanisms, also suggest a possible important role of vitamin D at the intestinal level that would allow a greater absorption of vitamin D secondary to the beneficial effects of a longer therapy and therefore a better control of the activity of the disease itself. In contrast, other authors have found an inverse correlation between the duration of disease and serum levels of vitamin D, especially in patients with Crohn's disease [20].…”

“…The literature contains conflicting data about the relationship between bowel resection surgery, especially in the CD, and hypovitaminosis D. Some studies deny such a correlation [20,25,27], emphasizing the reduction of disease activity following the surgery with consequent beneficial effect on the levels of vitamin D. Other studies, however, indicate a possible correlation with previous surgery of the small intestine. The latter, acting on the site of intestinal absorption of the vitamin D, would cause its malabsorption.…”

Vitamin D as a novel therapy in inflammatory bowel disease: new hope or false dawn?

“…Prevalence of deficiency may range from 35 to 100% in CD (21) , when deficiency is defined as circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) <50 nmol/l (22) and applied across a range of published studies. The exact cause of IBD remains unknown; however, the disease is thought to result from a complex interaction between immunological, genetic and environmental factors.…”