Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients Treated for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Potential Role of Methotrexate: A Preliminary Study

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is reported in rheumatological diseases in adults. The aim was to evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and to investigate potential correlations between vitamin D status and clinical factors, laboratory traits, and medical treatment, including methotrexate (MTX) and glucocorticoids (GCs). Methods: In 189 patients aged 3-17.7 years, with JIA in the stable stage of the disease, anthropometry, clinical status, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], calcium (Ca), phosphate (PO4), total alkaline phosphatase (ALP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed. Results: Median 25(OH)D level was 15.00 ng/mL, interquartile range (IQR) 12.00 ng/mL. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 67.2% and was independent of sex, disease manifestation, and CRP, ESR, ALP, or PO4 levels. Higher doses of MTX corresponded with lower 25(OH)D levels using both univariate and multivariate models (p < 0.05). No such trend was found for GCs treatment. Serum Ca was lower in patients treated with GCs (p = 0.004), MTX (p = 0.03), and combined GCs/MTX (p = 0.034). Conclusions: JIA patients are vitamin D depleted independently of disease activity or inflammatory markers. MTX therapy may be an iatrogenic factor leading to inadequate 25(OH)D levels. Vitamin D supplementation should be considered in all children with JIA, particularly those receiving long-term MTX therapy.