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Updated: Jun 4, 2026
Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
Low calcidiol levels and risk of progression of aortic calcification
M Naves-Díaz1, I Cabezas-Rodríguez, S Barrio-Vázquez
1Bone and Mineral Research Unit, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Instituto Reina Sofía de Investigación, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain.
Unlabelled:
In this observational study, we found a positive relationship between low calcidiol levels and the risk of aortic calcification progression. A 10-ng/mL increase of calcidiol was associated with a decrease in the risk of progression by 44%. This figure was higher than that observed if we increased age by 10 years.
Introduction:
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum calcidiol levels and the onset and progression of aortic calcifications in a community-based sample of ambulatory subjects.
Methods:
Three hundred two men and women aged 50 and over underwent two lateral X-rays and were followed up for 4 years. Abdominal aortic calcifications were classified as absent, mild-moderate, and severe. The biochemical measurements of serum calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, total alkaline phosphatase, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, creatinine, calcidiol, calcitriol, and osteocalcin were determined. Subjects who had received anti-osteoporotic treatments were excluded from the analysis.
Results:
Subjects with progression of aortic calcifications had significantly lower serum calcidiol levels than those without progression. In the multivariate analysis, using the agreed upon serum levels for calcidiol (>30 ng/mL) as the reference, those subjects with calcidiol levels between 10 and 20 ng/mL showed a higher risk of progression of aortic calcification (odds ratio (OR) = 3.95; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16 to 13.40). An even higher OR was observed in subjects with calcidiol values <10 ng/mL (OR = 4.10; 95% CI = 1.12 to 14.99). In addition, an increase by 1 ng/mL in osteocalcin levels was associated with a 17% reduction of the risk of aortic calcification progression.
Conclusions:
An increase by 10 ng/mL of calcidiol was associated with a decrease in the risk of aortic calcifications progression by 44%. This figure was even higher than that observed if we increased age by 10 years. Levels of calcidiol higher than 30 ng/mL seem to be desirable to reduce the progression of aortic calcification and to maintain bone turnover.
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