Arterial Stiffness and Vitamin D Levels: the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Jul 5;
Authors: Giallauria F, Milaneschi Y, Tanaka T, Maggio M, Canepa M, Elango P, Vigorito C, Lakatta EG, Ferrucci L, Strait J
Abstract
Context: The importance of vitamin D for bone health has long been acknowledged. Recent evidence suggests that vitamin D can also play a role in reducing the risk of several other diseases, including cardiovascular disease.
Objective: The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D) is an independent cross-sectional correlate of central arterial stiffness in a normative aging study population.
Design and Settings: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis.
Subjects: We studied 1228 healthy volunteers (50% males; age, 70 ± 12 yr) of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.
Main Outcome Measures: We measured carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and 25-OH D levels.
Results: We found a significant inverse association between PWV and 25-OH D levels (adjusted r(2) = 0.27; β = -0.43; P = 0.001). After adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, season of blood draw, estimated glomerular filtration rate, physical activity level, cardiovascular risk factors score (smoking, visceral obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and diabetes), calcium/vitamin D supplementation, serum calcium, and PTH levels, the association between PWV and 25-OH D levels was only slightly reduced and remained statistically significant (adjusted r(2) = 0.34; β = -0.34; P = 0.04).
Conclusions: Vitamin D levels are inversely associated with increased arterial stiffness in a normative aging population, irrespective of traditional risk factor burden. Further research is needed to understand the mechanism of this association and to test the hypothesis that vitamin D supplementation can reduce arterial stiffness.
PMID: 22767638
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