Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 3, 2026
Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
Vitamin D and cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease
Gurpreet Kaur1, Jatinder Singh2, Juhi Kumar3
1State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA.
Insights
Vitamin D deficiency is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD), increasing cardiovascular risks. However, vitamin D therapy has not shown clear benefits for cardiovascular outcomes in adults or children with CKD.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), leading to increased morbidity and mortality.
- Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in CKD patients and linked to mechanisms promoting CVD, including RAAS activation, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the role of vitamin D in the cardiovascular complications of chronic kidney disease.
- To assess the efficacy and safety of vitamin D supplementation for mitigating cardiovascular risk in CKD patients.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological studies and meta-analyses examining the association between vitamin D deficiency and CVD risk factors in CKD.
- Analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) investigating vitamin D therapy for cardiovascular outcomes in adult and pediatric CKD populations.
Main Results:
- Epidemiological data suggest an association between vitamin D deficiency and CVD risk factors in CKD, but causality is not established.
- Meta-analyses and RCTs in adults have not provided convincing evidence that vitamin D therapy improves cardiovascular outcomes.
- High-quality RCT data on the effectiveness and long-term safety of vitamin D in pediatric CKD patients are lacking.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence does not support vitamin D therapy for improving cardiovascular outcomes in adult CKD patients.
- Recommendations for vitamin D use in children with CKD to reduce cardiovascular risk cannot be made due to insufficient high-quality evidence on efficacy and safety.
Abstract:
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is considered an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality seen even in the early stages of CKD. Several studies have shown a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in individuals with CKD. Low vitamin D levels upregulate the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), cause endothelial dysfunction, and increase inflammation. Epidemiological studies show an association between vitamin D deficiency and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but a causal relationship has not been established. The high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with CKD in adults requires therapies to decrease this elevated risk. However, results from several meta-analyses and randomized clinical trials in adults have not shown convincing evidence for the use of vitamin D therapy in improving cardiovascular outcomes. Lack of high-quality evidence from randomized clinical trials in children regarding the effectiveness and long-term safety of vitamin D treatment precludes any recommendations on its use to mitigate the cardiovascular burden of CKD.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Chronic Kidney Disease I: Introduction
01:24Chronic Kidney Disease II: Clinical Manifestations
01:28Chronic Kidney Disease III: Interprofessional Care
01:18Chronic Kidney Disease IV: Nursing Management
01:27Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
01:24Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Smoking is a primary risk factor for COPD, with over 80% of patients having a history of it. Patients typically experience progressive dyspnea or labored breathing, frequent coughing, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Many eventually succumb to respiratory failure, characterized by...