Effect of Vitamin D Deficiency on Coronary Artery Stenosis

Abstract

ackground:Vitamin D is a prohormone that has recently been reported to modulate the inflammatory process and probably atherosclerosis.There isconflicting evidence infavor of the impact of hypovitaminosisof vitamin D on coronary artery stenosis. The aim of this study was to evaluatethe relationship between 25(OH) vitamin D and the extent and severity of coronary artery stenosis in sample of the Iranian population undergoing elective coronary artery angiography.Methods:Patients undergoing elective coronary artery angiography were included in this case-control study.Significant coronary artery stenosis was defined as stenosis>60% of any major coronary arteryand >50% fortheleft main artery as evaluated by quantitative coronary angiography.Results:Hypovitaminosis D was observed in 60.2% of 224 patients. The patientsweredivided according to their vitamin D level (i.e., <10, 11–20,and 21–30) and also based on thepercentageof their coronary artery stenosis(i.e., normal coronary artery, insignificant stenosis,and significant stenosis).A higher vitamin Dlevel was associated with age. Hypovitaminosis D had no association with persistence,extent, and severity of coronary artery stenosis.Conclusions:Hypovitaminosis D was not significantly associated withtheincidence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension,and dyslipidemia.At present, the data regarding the causal link between vitamin D status and coronary artery stenosis are conflicting.These conflicting findingsmay be due tofactors relating to the studydesigns, ethnicity, confounding factors,and other coronaryartery diseaserisk factors. Further research isneeded to determine whether this association doesexist.(Iranian Heart Journal 2015; 16(3): 38-44