Table 2 Characteristics of participants by serum 25(OH)D status.

From: Serum vitamin D status inversely associates with a prevalence of severe sarcopenia among female patients with rheumatoid arthritis

25(OH)D concentration (range, ng/ml)

Lower status (n = 78)

Higher status (n = 78)

P value

5.9–16.0

16.1–32.1

Age, mean (SD), year

70.4 (6.9)

69.1 (6.4)

0.21

Body mass index, mean (SD), kg/m2

21.7 (3.5)

22.2 (3.6)

0.29

Factors associated with sarcopenia

Skeletal mass index, mean (SD), kg/m2

5.45 (0.90)

5.83 (0.69)

0.0036

Handgrip strength-dominant, mean (SD), kg

13.1 (7.6)

16.0 (6.5)

0.0094

Gait speed, mean (SD), m/s

0.88 (0.30)

1.02 (0.27)

0.0025

Sarcopenia (+), n (%)

44 (56.4)

26 (33.3)

0.0036

Severe sarcopenia (+), n (%)

34 (43.6)

12 (15.4)

 < 0.0001

Osteoporosis medication, n (%)

41 (35.0)

36 (29.8)

1.00

MNA-SF, mean (SD)

11.9 (2.1)

12.0 (1.9)

0.69

RA disease characteristics

Disease duration, mean (SD), year

16.6 (13.6)

15.6 (11.7)

0.63

DAS28-ESR, mean (SD)

3.11 (1.04)

2.81 (0.90)

0.055

CRP, median (IQR), mg/dL

0.1 (0–0.4)

0.1 (0.1–0.3)

0.44

HAQ, mean (SD)

1.00 (0.79)

0.67 (0.66)

0.0096

Stage, mean (SD)

2.99 (1.10)

3.04 (1.10)

0.77

 Stage 4, n (%)

35 (44.9)

38 (48.7)

0.63

 Stage 3 and 4, n (%)

53 (68.0)

53 (68.0)

1.00

 Stage 2, 3 and 4, n (%)

67 (85.9)

68 (87.2)

0.81

Class, mean (SD)

1.91 (0.65)

1.73 (0.53)

0.060

Current therapeutic agent

Methotrexate use, n (%)

49 (62.8)

56 (71.8)

0.23

Biological agent use, n (%)

29 (37.2)

26 (33.3)

0.61

Prednisolone use, n (%)

28 (35.9)

15 (19.2)

0.019

  1. RA patients are divided into the following two groups by median of serum 25(OH)D: lower status group (25(OH)D: 5.9–16.0 ng/ml) and higher status group (25(OH)D: 16.1–32.1 ng/ml). Data are presented as the mean (± standard deviation) or as the median (interquartile range (IQR)) for continuous variables, and as numbers (%) for categorial variables.
  2. RA rheumatoid arthritis, MNA-SF Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form, DAS28 disease activity score using 28 joints, VAS visual analogue scale, HAQ health assessment questionnaire.