@article{3220000,
    title = "Vitamin D Deficiency in Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome: Association with Clinical Manifestations and Immune Activation Markers",
    author = "Athanassiou, P. and Mavragani, C. and Athanassiou, L. and Kostoglou-Athanassiou, I. and Koutsilieris, M.",
    journal = "Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology",
    year = "2022",
    volume = "33",
    number = "1",
    pages = "106-108",
    publisher = "Greek Rheumatology Society and Professional Association of Rheumatologists",
    doi = "10.31138/MJR.33.1.106",
    abstract = "Vitamin D is an agent involved in bone and mineral homeostasis. It has been recognized as a potent immunomodulator. It has immune-enhancing properties, and it induces immune tolerance. Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to be related to the development of autoimmune disorders. Vitamin D deficiency has been observed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and it has been shown to be related with disease activity. Vitamin D deficiency has also been found in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and it was shown to be related to disease activity and renal involvement. Vitamin D deficiency has also been observed in multiple sclerosis. Vitamin D has been found to act as a supplemental therapeutic agent in multiple sclerosis. Sjögren’s syndrome is a systemic autoimmune disease affecting the exocrine glands, known as an autoimmune epithelitis. The disease has a complex pathogenesis, requiring a genetic background, immune cell activation, and autoantibody production. The disease affects the exocrine glands, lacrimal, and salivary glands leading to ocular and oral dryness. Vitamin D levels have been measured in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome and an association was observed between low vitamin D levels, peripheral neuropathy and the presence of lymphoma. In other cohorts, such as a Turkish cohort, vitamin D deficiency was observed in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome. The aim is to measure serum vitamin D levels in consecutive patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome and investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and the presence of immunologic markers, clinical, serological, and histopathological characteristics. © This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License."
}