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Low vitamin D levels linked to autoimmune disorder

Category: Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment

Individuals who suffer from psoriatic arthritis may benefit from vitamin D testing, as a new study has connected a deficiency of the nutrient to the painful skin and joint condition.

Psoriatic arthritis is marked by the types of skin legions seen in psoriasis combined with the joint pain of arthritis. It is thought that both conditions are the product of autoimmune disorders, so it is not surprising to see them both in a single patient.

For the study, the researchers administered vitamin D tests to a group of patients with psoriatic arthritis. The results showed that vitamin D deficiency was much more common among this group of patients than it is in the general population.

The researchers said that the findings make sense to some degree. Previous studies have uncovered evidence that vitamin D may play a role in the development of many autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma and lupis. Therefore, it is not a stretch to think that low levels of the nutrient could be involved in psoriatic arthritis.

Vitamin D testing and supplementation may be needed for individuals who suffer from the condition, the researchers said, though more analysis is needed before definitively making this claim.