Association between hypovitaminosis D and systemic sclerosis: True or fake?

•The association between clinical features and low hormone levels is controversial.•Promoting the onset of SSc depends on the interaction between genetics, environment and infections.•The relation between low Vitamin D and SSc remains unclear.

BackgroundVitamin D insufficiency/deficiency is considered a major factor triggering and enhancing several autoimmune disorders; hypovitaminosis D has been reported to be common in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). Previous studies assessing vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in SSc have been reviewed, and the relation with pathogenesis and clinical features has been examined.ContentEligibility criteria were: reporting measurement of Vitamin D serum levels in all participants and evaluating adult onset-SSc individuals as patients group. Results: The association between clinical features and low hormone levels is controversial. Manifold data have shown vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency to have a potential role in the pathogenesis of disease, providing inconclusive findings.SummaryPromoting the onset of SSc depends on the interaction between genetics, environment and infections. It remains a sound question whether Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency is an environment-linked immunological heckler, making infectious agents taking root.