High rheumatoid factor positivity (92%) observed in Indian Rheumatoid Arthritis patients with Vitamin D deficiency.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by persistent synovial inflammation and progressive joint destruction. Despite therapeutic advances, disease activity remains variable, and modifiable factors influencing severity are under investigation. Vitamin D, beyond its role in bone metabolism, exerts immunomodulatory effects and may influence RA pathogenesis. However, evidence regarding its association with disease activity remains inconsistent, particularly in diverse populations like India.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve patients with RA, aged over 18 years, at a tertiary care center in India. Demographic details, tender and swollen joint counts, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS-28) were recorded. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were measured and categorized. Statistical analyses included one-way analysis of variance, Tukey's post hoc test, multiple linear regression, and ROC curve analysis for ESR and DAS-28, with significance set at p-values ≤0.05.

The provided abstract was truncated, limiting the full scope of reported results. Of the 50 patients tested in the cohort, rheumatoid factor (RF) was found to be positive in 46 individuals, representing 92.00% of the study population. The abstract did not provide further specific data regarding the correlation between serum 25(OH)D levels and RA disease activity markers such as DAS-28, ESR, or CRP. Additionally, the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency categories (normal, insufficient, or deficient) within this specific cohort was not detailed in the available text.