Research suggests that vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with lupus and may be linked to disease activity.
A study published in Photodermatology, Photoimmunology and Photomedicine (2008; 24(5):260–267) found that patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) frequently had low vitamin D levels. Among the 52 patients studied, 65% were vitamin D deficient, a finding the authors suggested may be related to sun avoidance due to photosensitivity.
Similar findings were reported in a study published in the American Journal of the Medical Sciences (2008; 335(2):99–104), which examined 37 women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this group, lower vitamin D levels were associated with higher disease activity, suggesting a possible relationship between vitamin D status and lupus severity.
