Asia Pacific Journal Paediatric and Child Health, Volume 3, Oct - Dec 2020
Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity
Syahmi Amar1 , Annang Giri Moelyo1 , Diah Lintang Kawuryan1
ABSTRACT
Background: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients tend to experience vitamin D deficiency in attribution to several factors. However, studies linking vitamin D levels and SLE disease activity in children are still lacking, particularly in Indonesia.
Objective: This study aims to analyze the effects of vitamin D supplementation on the activity of SLE among children.
Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-post treatment test design in same group. A total of 20 pediatric patients with SLE at Dr. Moewardi Hospital who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study for a period of 3 months. Vitamin D levels were measured before and after vitamin D supplementation.
Results: A total of 18 pediatric patients with SLE were included in the final analyses with an average age of 14.1 2.53 years. Kidney and skin were the most commonly affected organs among the study participants. There was a significant difference in the average Mex-SLEDAI score before and after the intervention (p = 0.006). Vitamin D level correlated negatively with SLE disease activity prior to intervention (r = -0.616; p = 0.003). Increased vitamin D levels also correlated significantly with decreased SLE disease activity (r = -0.493; p = 0.044).
Limitations: The sample size was quite small as it was a single-center study and the subjects were not recruited in a random, doubleblind fashion.
Conclusions: There is a negative correlation between vitamin D levels and SLEDAI scores. Higher levels of vitamin D shall reduce the SLEDAI scores.
Keywords: SLE, SLEDAI, vitamin D.
Author’s Affiliation:
1- Department of Pediatrics, Dr Moewardi Hospital/Faculty of Medicine Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta, Indonesia
Correspondence:
Syahmi Amar, Email: syahmiamar@gmail.com