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Objectives: The relationship between vitamin D and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) activity remains controversial. RA is a cardiovascular risk factor. A low level of vitamin D may increase blood pressure (BP) and decrease HDL-cholesterol. We aimed to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in RA patients compared to controls, and also to investigate the relationship between vitamin D and RA activity, and between vitamin D and cardiovascular risk factors., Methods: Patients in the COMEDRA study with established inactive RA (1987 ACR criteria) were matched with subjects from the NUTRINET-SANTE cohort (age, gender, latitude, sampling season). Vitamin D deficiency was defined as <10 ng/mL, and insufficiency as 10 to 29.9 ng/mL., Results: Eight hundred and ninety-four RA patients were analysed, of which 861 were matched with controls. The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was lower in RA patients than in controls: 480 (55.8%) vs. 508 (59%) and 31 (3.6%) vs. 45 (5.23%), respectively; p=0.04. There was an inverse correlation between vitamin D levels and RA activity assessed by DAS28-CRP (p=0.01), SDAI (p<0.001) and CDAI (p=0.001), but not DAS28-ESR after adjustment for age, gender, inclusion season, body mass index (BMI), vitamin D supplementation, disease duration, RF or anti-CCP status and RA treatments. Vitamin D levels were inversely correlated with BMI (p<0.001), but not with BP, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol or blood glucose., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that vitamin D is inversely correlated with RA activity and BMI, but not with other cardiovascular risk factors.

Objectives: To assess the risk of malignancy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving tumour necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists through a meta-analysis of data from registry studies and systematic review of long-term extension (LTE) studies., Methods: We systematically reviewed the literature up to January 2010 in the Embase and Medline databases, as well as abstracts from the 2008 and 2009 annual meetings of the EULAR and the ACR. The Mantel-Haenszel method was used to provide a common odds ratio (OR). Statistical heterogeneity was assessed by the chi-square Q test (χ²). Standardised incidence ratio (SIR) was extracted for post-marketing studies and registries., Results: The literature search identified 634 articles and 110 abstracts, of which 12 and 5, respectively, were selected for analysis. We could perform a meta-analysis of data from 4 and 3 registries for risk of total malignancy and non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC), respectively. The pooled OR for total malignancy and for NMSC was 0.81 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71-0.94] and 0.79 [0.62-1.02] in TNF antagonist group versus DMARD group, respectively. There was no significant heterogeneity. Among 4 LTE studies and 4 registries, no significant increase in the incidence of total malignancy was noted versus the general population. The only signal may be an increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancers., Conclusions: Our meta-analysis of data from registries and systematic review of LTE studies did not reveal an increased risk of total malignancy in RA patients receiving anti-TNF therapy.