Henoch Schönlein purpura at diagnosis in 3 adult patients: Acute onset with peripheral nervous system dysfunction

Abstract

Objectives: Studies concerning vitamin D status in Behcet syndrome (BS) are scarce and their results are controversial. None of these works analyzed the link between this status and the disease activity, severity and the patient's quality of life.The aim of our work was to analyze the possible association between vitamin D status in BS and the disease activity, severity and the patient's quality of life.Methods: 25(OH)D3was assessed in 40 BS patients (mean age: 37.5 years, sex ratio: 1.85) by electrochemiluminescence. Its levelwas then correlated to theBS activity, severity and patient's quality of life. A BS expert evaluated patients as having active or inactive disease. BS activity was also assessed meaning the BDCAF score (Behcet's Disease Current Activity Form). The disease severity was appreciated with the severity index. The patient's quality of life was evaluated by a specific score the BDQoL (Behcet's disease quality of life). Results: At BS diagnosis, patients were aged 28.83 +/− 11 years on average. The mean disease duration was at 8.75 years +/− 10 years. 25(0H)D3was at 14.64 ng/ml (3– 44.29 ng/ml) and nearly 1/3 of patients (35%) had a vitamin D deficiency.BD expert estimated that the disease was active in 40% of the cases.Themean BDCAF score was at 4.86 (0–11). This score correlated well with the expert's opinion. The mean index severity was 4.7 +/− 1.86 (2–11) and the mean BDQoL was 7.78 +/− 6.55 (0–30). Correlation analysis didn't showany link between vitamin D status in BD patient with the disease duration, activity and severity and with the patient's quality of life. Conclusions: Our work didn't showany association between vitaminD status in BDpatientswith the disease characteristics (duration, activity, severity) and patient's quality of life. It can be due to the lack of specificity of vitamin D role in immune diseases but we think that further studies with larger samples are needed.