High dose vitamin D supplementation in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Single High dose cholecalciferol supplementation in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis and vitamin D deficiency – a randomized study

• IRAS ID

  33547

• Contact name

  Shweta Bhagat

• Eudract number

  2009-016084-11

• ISRCTN Number

  n.a

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  n.a

• Research summary

  This study compares the efficacy of single high dose vitamin D supplementation (300,000IU) in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis who also suffer from Vitamin D deficiency/Insufficiency, with the daily replacement dose of 800IU. Vitamin D has aroused considerable interest recently due to its pleiotropic effects including those on the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency has been increasingly found in RA patients. There is no consensus however on what level of 25(OH)D is adequate for health and what is the optimal supplementation doses. One small study of vitamin D analogue supplementation in patients with RA demonstrated reduction in disease activity possibly due to disease modification via an immunomodulatory mechanism. In addition, in selected RA patients, correction of vitamin D deficiency may be important in both the management of osteoporosis and modifying falls and fracture risk. It is postulated that giving high doses of vitamin D normalises levels much quicker and more reliably than standard doses in use.

• REC name

  East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  10/H0305/16

• Date of REC Opinion

  14 Jul 2010

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion