Factors affecting vitamin D deficiency in active inflammatory bowel diseases

Hypovitaminosis D is prevalent in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and may be associated with disease activity. This study evaluated vitamin D (VitD) status in an Italian cohort of IBD patients, not taking VitD supplementation. We investigated risk factors for VitD deficiency and its correlation with disease activity. VitD levels were measured in 300 consecutive outpatients (42% with Crohn’s Disease (CD) and 58% with ulcerative colitis (UC), 56% male) from a tertiary referral center. Data from the IBD cohort were compared with those of 234 healthy controls, matched by sex, age, and the month in which VitD levels were measured. The mean VitD level in IBD patients was significantly lower than in controls (18.9 ng/ml vs. 25 ng/ml, p