Abstract
To our knowledge, there have not been studies to evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP). To test in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind, and prospective way whether 8 weeks of 600,000 IU monthly supplementation of oral vitamin D3 would contribute to improvements in RP, 53 patients describing RP were recruited during winter 2010–2011. 42 patients were deficient in vitamin D dosage and randomly assigned into either the vitamin D group or placebo group. Every 4 weeks (for a total of 3 doses), patients received their treatment and answered on a visual analogue scale (VAS) basis about their RP. In the vitamin D group, baseline average blood vitamin D level was 20.9 ng/mL. VAS 0, VAS 1, and VAS 2 were 58.33, 48.09, and 36.2, respectively. At the end of the study, the average blood vitamin D level was 32.9 ng/mL. In the placebo group, baseline average blood vitamin D level was 21.8 ng/mL. VAS 0, VAS 1, and VAS 2 were 58.33, 51.19, and 64.28, respectively. At the end of the study, the average blood vitamin D level was 23.2 ng/mL. Following our observations, we concluded to an objective augmentation of vitamin D blood level and RP self-judgment improvement after 8 weeks of monthly supplementation of vitamin D3. One can ask whether vitamin D has as a vasodilator effect in patients with RP who are deficient in vitamin D. Other studies and researches are needed to answer these questions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- RP:
-
Raynaud’s phenomenon
References
Baumhäkel M, Böhm M (2010) Recent achievements in the management of Raynaud’s phenomenon. Vasc Health Risk Manag 15(6):207–214
Herrick AL (2005) Pathogenesis of Raynaud’s phenomenon. Rheumatology 44:587–596
Dhesi KJ, Moniz C, Close JC, Jackson SH, Allain TJ (2002) A rationale for vitamin D prescribing in a falls clinic population. Age Ageing 31:267–271
Gannagé-Yared MH, Maalouf G, Khalife S et al (2009) Prevalence and predictors of vitamin D inadequacy amongst Lebanese osteoporotic women. Br J Nutr 101(4):487–491
Raynaud M (1888) Local asphyxia and symmetrical gangrene of extremities 1862. New researches on the nature and treatment of local asphyxia of the extremities 1874 (trans: Barlow). New Sydenham Society
Lewis T (1929) Experiments relating to the peripheral mechanisms involved in spasmodic arrest of the circulation in the fingers, a variety of Raynaud’s disease. Heart 15:7–101
Silman A, Holligan S, Brennan P, Maddison P (1990) Prevalence of symptoms of Raynaud’s phenomenon in general practice. BMJ 301:590–592
Wigley FM (1993) Raynaud’s phenomenon. Curr Opin Rheumatol 5:773–784
Wigley FM (2002) Clinical practice. Raynaud’s Phenomenon. N Engl J Med 26;347(13):1001–1008
LeRoy EC, Medsger TA Jr (1992) Raynaud’s phenomenon: a proposal for classification. Clin Exp Rheumatol 10:485–488
Kaheleh B, Matucci-Cerinic M (1995) Raynaud’s phenomenon and scleroderma. Dysregulated neuroendothelial control of vascular tone. Arthritis Rheum 38:1–4
Rajagopalan S, Pfenninger D, Kehrer C et al (2003) Increased asymmetric dimethylarginine and endothelin 1 levels in secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon: implications for vascular dysfunction and progression of disease. Arthritis Rheum 48(7):1992–2000
Bakst R, Merola JF, Franks AG Jr, Sanchez M (2008) Raynaud’s phenomenon: pathogenesis and management. J Am Acad Dermatol 59(4):633–653
Kawaguchi Y, Takagi K, Hara M et al (2004) Angiotensin II in the lesional skin of systemic sclerosis patients contributes to tissue fibrosis via angiotensin II type 1 receptors. Arthritis Rheum 50(1):216–226
Pilz S, Tomaschitz A (2010) Role of vitamin D in arterial hypertension. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther 8(11):1599–1608
Harris RA, Pedersen-White J, Guo DH, Stallmann-Jorgensen IS, Keeton D, Huang Y, Shah Y, Zhu H, Dong Y (2011) Vitamin D3 supplementation for 16 weeks improves flow-mediated dilation in overweight African-American adults. Am J Hypertens 24(5):557–562. (Epub 2011 Feb 10)
Li YC, Kong J, Wei M, Chen ZF, Liu SQ, Cao LP (2002) 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D(3) is a negative endocrine regulator of the renin-angiotensin system. J Clin Invest 110:229–238
Martinesi M, Bruni S, Stio M, Treves C (2006) 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 inhibits tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced adhesion molecule expression in endothelial cells. Cell Biol Int 30:365–375
Helming L, Bose J, Ehrchen J et al (2005) 1alpha,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 is a potent suppressor of interferon gamma-mediated macrophage activation. Blood 106:4351–4358
Yu S, Bruce D, Froicu M, Weaver V, Cantorna MT (2008) Failure of T cell homing, reduced CD4/CD8alphaalpha intraepithelial lymphocytes, and inflammation in the gut of vitamin D receptor KO mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105:20834–20839
Pittas AG, Lau J, Hu FB, Dawson-Hughes B (2007) The role of vitamin D and calcium in type 2 diabetes. A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 92:2017–2029
Janini SD, Scott DG, Coppock JS, Bacon PA, Kendall MJ (1988) Enalapril in Raynaud’s phenomenon. J Clin Pharm Ther 13:145–150
Dziadzio M, Denton CP, Smith R, Howell K, Blann A, Bowers E et al (1999) Losartan therapy for Raynaud’s phenomenon and scleroderma: clinical and biochemical findings in a 15-week, randomized, parallel-group, controlled trial. Arthritis Rheum 42:2646–2655
Coleiro B, Marshall SE, Denton CP, Howell K, Blann A, Welsh KI et al (2001) Treatment of Raynaud’s phenomenon with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine. Rheumatology 40:1038–1043
Korn JH, Mayes M, Matucci Cerinic M, Rainisio M, Pope J, Hachulla E et al (2004) Digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis: prevention by treatment with bosentan, an oral endothelin receptor antagonist. Arthritis Rheum 50:3985–3993
Wigley FM, Wise RA, Seibold JR, McCloskey DA, Kujala G, Medsger TA Jr et al (1994) Intravenous iloprost infusion in patients with Raynaud phenomenon secondary to systemic sclerosis: a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Ann Int Med 120:199–206
Kumana CR, Cheung GT, Lau CS (2004) Sever digital ischemia treated with phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Ann Rheum Dis 63:1522–1524
Hulshof MM, Bavinck JN, Bergman W, Masclee AAM, Heickendorff L, Breedveld FC, Dijkmans BA (2000) Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of oral calcitriol for the treatment of localized and systemic scleroderma. J Am Acad Dermatol 43:1017–1023
Conflict of interest
The authors have no conflict of interests to declare.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hélou, J., Moutran, R., Maatouk, I. et al. Raynaud’s phenomenon and vitamin D. Rheumatol Int 33, 751–755 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-012-2445-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-012-2445-x