Association between serum vitamin d levels and cardiometabolic alterations

Introduction: Hypovitaminosis D has been described as an epidemic in the recent years and its association with cardiometabolic alterations such as arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obesity and Metabolic Syndrome have been studied. Objectives: To evaluate the association between serum levels of vitamin D and cardiometabolic alterations. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving patients seen outpatient in a public hospital service, reference in cardiology in Recife-PE, Brazil. Serum levels of 25 hydroxyvitamin D were measured and assessed for their relations with cardiovascular and metabolic risk parameters. Results: 90 individuals were evaluated with a mean age of 57.0 +/- 11.9 years, predominantly female (75.6%). Vitamin D deficiency (levels < 20 ng/ml) was observed in 12.2% of the subjects and an insufficiency (levels 20-29 ng/ml) in 35.6%. Serum vitamin D levels were higher in males (p<0,001), in subjects with normal waist circumference (WC) (p=0,008), and in those with elevated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (p=0,006). Inverse correlation was observed between serum levels of vitamin D and total cholesterol ( TC) (r=-0,214; p=0,045) and LDL-c (r=-0,227; p=0,033) and direct correlation with HbA1c(r=0,211; p=0,048). In the adjusted analysis, it was observed that patients that had central obesity had a 2.8 (IC95%: 1,1-7,7; p=0,048) higher chance of having vitamin D deficiency when compared to patients with normal WC. It was verified that patients with high triglycerides levels had protection for vitamin D deficiency (OR=0,3; IC95%: 0,1-0,8; p=0,023). Conclusions: Hypovitaminosis D was highly prevalent in the studied population. Low levels of vitamin D correlated with elevated levels of TC and LDL-c and central adiposity.