Vitamin D levels in children with familial Mediterranean fever

Background: this study aimed to determine whether vitamin d deficiency is more common in children with familial mediterranean fever (fmf) than in healthy individuals. methods: the study group consisted of 100 patients diagnosed with fmf and 50 healthy children. serum baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin d levels and other related parameters were evaluated. results: the mean (standard deviation [sd]) vitamin d levels in patients with fmf and healthy controls were 24.78 (8.35) and 28.70 (11.70) ng/ml,respectively. patients with fmf had significantly decreased vitamin d levels compared with those in healthy controls (p = 0.039). vitamin d levels were similar in patients with fmf with different mefv mutations (p = 0.633). age was significantly correlated with vitamin d levels (r = -0.235,p = 0.019). in addition,a negative correlation between parathyroid hormone and vitamin d levels was detected (rs = -0.382,p < 0.0001). conclusion: this study demonstrated that vitamin d levels are lower in children with fmf than in healthy controls. we speculate that vitamin d levels should be carefully examined,and nutritional supplementation may be required in patients with fmf. further studies with larger patient populations are needed to confirm the frequency of vitamin d deficiency in patients with fmf. © 2016 onur et al.