Vitamin D and Psoriasis Pathology in the Mediterranean Region, Valencia (Spain)

• Main Authors: Maria Morales Suárez-Varela, Paloma Reguera-Leal, William B. Grant, Nuria Rubio-López, Agustín Llopis-González
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2014-11-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: vitamin D; psoriasis; Mediterranean region; diet
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/11/12/12108

Vitamin D has important immunomodulatory effects on psoriasis in the Mediterranean region. To measure vitamin D intake in subjects with and without psoriasis, and to find an association with relevant clinical features, a case-control study was performed using cases (n = 50, 50% participation rate) clinically diagnosed with psoriasis and 200 healthy subjects (39.5% participation rate), leaving a final sample of 104 people. A survey was conducted using a food frequency questionnaire and clinical histories. Cases and controls were compared using univariate and multivariate analyses. We observed insufficient intake of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) or ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) for both cases and controls. Patients with psoriasis were at greater risk of associated pathologies: dyslipidaemia (OR: 3.6, 95% CI: 0.8–15.2); metabolic syndrome (OR: 3.3, 95% CI: 0.2–53.9); hypertension (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 0.4–7.2). Insufficient vitamin D intake in both psoriasis patients and controls in the Mediterranean population, and cardiovascular comorbility is more frequent in patients with psoriasis.