{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,3]],"date-time":"2026-06-03T15:57:53Z","timestamp":1780502273270,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"The Journal of Rheumatology","issue":"11","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Rheumatol"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2008,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title><jats:p>Sclerodactyly with acroosteolysis (AO) and calcinosis are prominent features of systemic sclerosis (SSc), but the pathogenesis of these findings is poorly understood. Vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) have a crucial role in bone metabolism and resorption and may affect AO and calcinosis. We assessed vitamin D and PTH in patients with SSc.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Medical records of 134 consecutive patients with SSc (American College of Rheumatology criteria) followed at the rheumatology department during the years 2003\u20132006 were reviewed for clinical assessment, laboratory evaluation [including 25(OH) vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, PTH, creatinine, and albumin]; imaging data confirming AO and\/or calcinosis. Patients followed routinely at least once a year were included (81 patients). Of these, 60 patients\u2019 medical records were found to have complete, relevant clinical, laboratory, and radiographic imaging.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Thirteen patients had diffuse disease and 47 limited disease \u2014 51 women and 9 men, 44 Jews and 16 Arabs; mean age 55 \u00b1 14 years; disease duration 8 \u00b1 6 years. AO with or without calcinosis was observed in 42 patients (70%). Vitamin D deficiency was found in 46% of patients (16 out of 44 Jewish patients, 10 out of 16 Arab patients). PTH was elevated in 21.7% of patients. Significant correlations were observed between acroosteolysis and PTH (p = 0.015), calcinosis (p = 0.009), and disease duration (p = 0.008), and between PTH and vitamin D levels (p = 0.01). All patients had normal serum concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and albumin, and liver and kidney functions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>In this group of Mediterranean patients with SSc, the incidence of vitamin D deficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism was surprisingly high. This finding correlated with the occurrence of AO and calcinosis. Low levels of vitamin D may reflect silent malabsorption and might be a risk factor for secondary hyperparathyroidism and bone resorption. Traditional dress habits and low exposure to sun may contribute to vitamin D deficiency in an Arab population but do not explain all the findings. The pathogenesis of these findings needs to be corroborated in other SSc populations.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3899\/jrheum.071171","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2008,11,12]],"date-time":"2008-11-12T15:47:51Z","timestamp":1226504871000},"page":"2201-2205","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":58,"title":["Vitamin D, Parathyroid Hormone, and Acroosteolysis in Systemic Sclerosis"],"prefix":"10.3899","volume":"35","author":[{"given":"YOLANDA","family":"BRAUN-MOSCOVICI","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"DANIEL E.","family":"FURST","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"DORON","family":"MARKOVITS","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"ALEXANDER","family":"ROZIN","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"PHILIP J.","family":"CLEMENTS","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"ABRAHAM MENAHEM","family":"NAHIR","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"ALEXANDRA","family":"BALBIR-GURMAN","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2262","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2008,11,1]]},"container-title":["The Journal of Rheumatology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.3899\/jrheum.071171","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2018,11,29]],"date-time":"2018-11-29T12:17:45Z","timestamp":1543493865000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.jrheum.org\/lookup\/doi\/10.3899\/jrheum.071171"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2008,11]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2008,11]]}},"alternative-id":["10.3899\/jrheum.071171"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3899\/jrheum.071171","relation":{},"ISSN":["0315-162X","1499-2752"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0315-162X","type":"print"},{"value":"1499-2752","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2008,11]]}}}