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Low 25-OH vitamin D levels are not associated with coronary artery calcium or obstructive stenoses
John S Ho1, John J Cannaday, Carolyn E Barlow
1aDepartment of Cardiovascular Imaging, Cooper Clinic bDepartment of Epidemiology and Statistics, The Cooper Institute, Dallas, Texas, USA.
Insights
Low vitamin D levels were not linked to coronary artery calcium (CAC) or severe blockages. This study found no association between vitamin D status and the presence of obstructive coronary artery disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- The relationship between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease, specifically calcific atherosclerosis and obstructive coronary artery stenoses, remains unclear.
- Investigating potential risk factors for coronary artery disease is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if low 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels are associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores.
- To investigate the association between 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels and the presence of severely obstructive coronary artery stenoses (≥70%).
Main Methods:
- 1131 individuals undergoing coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring and coronary computed tomographic angiography had their 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels measured.
- Statistical analysis was performed to assess the association between vitamin D levels and CAC scores.
- The relationship between vitamin D levels and the presence of obstructive coronary artery stenoses was evaluated using both computed tomographic angiography and invasive angiography.
Main Results:
- 11.7% of participants were vitamin D deficient (<20 ng/ml) and 26.1% were insufficient (21-29 ng/ml).
- No significant association was found between 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels and CAC scores.
- No relationship was observed between vitamin D levels and the presence of severe coronary artery disease (≥70% stenosis).
Conclusions:
- Low 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels are not associated with coronary artery calcification.
- Vitamin D status does not appear to be a risk factor for developing severely obstructive coronary artery stenoses.
Background:
It is unclear whether low vitamin D is a significant risk factor for the presence of either calcific atherosclerosis or obstructive coronary artery stenoses.
Design:
In this study, we measured the 25-OH vitamin D levels of 1131 consecutive individuals who underwent coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring and coronary computed tomographic angiography at our institution.
Participants And Methods:
We looked for any association of 25-OH vitamin D levels with CAC scores. We also studied the relation of 25-OH vitamin D levels with the presence of 70% or more obstructive coronary artery stenoses, found initially by coronary computed tomographic angiography and confirmed subsequently by invasive angiography.
Results:
There were 132 (11.7%) 25-OH vitamin D deficient (<20 ng/ml) and 295 (26.1%) 25-OH vitamin D insufficient (21-29 ng/ml) individuals in this study. There was no detectable association between 25-OH vitamin D levels and CAC scores. The median (interquartile range) CAC score of 25-OH vitamin D deficient, insufficient, and adequate patients was 451 (80-1083), 338 (52-830), and 450 (100-1062), respectively. Also, no relation was noted between 25-OH vitamin D levels and the presence of severely obstructive coronary artery disease. The frequency of severe coronary artery disease in 25-OH vitamin D deficient, insufficient, and adequate patients was 3.8, 2.0, and 4.0%, respectively.
Conclusion:
Low 25-OH vitamin D levels were not associated with CAC or severely obstructive stenoses.
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