Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 Concentrations and Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease Among Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Accumulating research suggests that low 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D] concentrations may be inversely associated with type 2 diabetes (1,2,3), metabolic syndrome (4,5), insulin resistance (6), and cardiovascular disease (CVD) (7). Much remains to be learned, however, about the relationships between vitamin D status, metabolic syndrome, and CVD. Furthermore, the published data in humans arguing that hypovitaminosis D is a CVD risk factor remain conflicting (8,9). Because this topic has received scant attention and the available information on associations between vitamin D status and CVD among type 2 diabetic adults was lacking, we examined the relationships between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and prevalent CVD in type 2 diabetic adults. We studied 459 consecutive type 2 diabetic outpatients attending our clinic after exclusion of those with recent acute illness or advanced chronic liver or renal disease and those who were taking medications known to alter vitamin D metabolism. The control group consisted of 459 (64% men, age 61 ± 6 years) age- and sex-matched nondiabetic volunteers. Biochemical blood measurements were determined by standard laboratory procedures. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured during winter months using an automated chemiluminescence immunoassay (DiaSorin Liaison). Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria (10). Presence of coronary (myocardial infarction, angina, or …