Effect of UVB phototherapy and oral calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) on vitamin D photosynthesis in patients with psoriasis.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in the context of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

The influence of UVB phototherapy and oral calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) on vitamin D photosynthesis was assessed in 16 patients.

Why It Was Studied

Phototherapy and activated froms of vitamin D help clear psoriasis.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 16 patients were involved.

The age groups tagged for this paper are adults.

Before and after treatment, serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and calcitriol were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized and placebo-controlled.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

The comparison arm used a placebo, so changes seen with Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc could be set against what happens without it.

What Was Measured

Topics PubMed links to this paper include Calcitriol, Psoriasis, Ultraviolet Therapy and Vitamin D.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized and placebo-controlled study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 16 patients in people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 6 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 1996 (Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page, Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis research.