RESEARCH - 25-hydroxyvitamin D and cardiovascular risk factors in women with SLE

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Arthritis Rheum. 2009 Sep 29;61(10):1387-1395.

25-hydroxyvitamin D and cardiovascular risk factors in women with

systemic lupus erythematosus.

Wu PW, Rhew EY, Dyer AR, Dunlop DD, Langman CB, Price H,

Sutton-Tyrrell K, McPherson DD, Edmundowicz D, Kondos GT,

Ramsey-Goldman R.

Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.

OBJECTIVE: Low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D; vitamin

D) are associated with a higher frequency of cardiovascular disease

and risk factors in the general population. Vitamin D deficiency has

also been noted in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The objective

of this study was to evaluate the associations of serum 25(OH)D levels

with cardiovascular risk factors in women with SLE.

METHODS: Data collected in 181 women with SLE included demographics,

SLE activity and damage assessments, cardiovascular risk factors,

medications, and laboratory assessments of inflammatory markers and

25(OH)D levels. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were used to

estimate the association of 25(OH)D levels with cardiovascular risk

factors.

RESULTS: The mean age and disease duration were 43.2 and 11.9 years,

respectively. The mean 25(OH)D level was 27.1 ng/ml and 62.2% had

25(OH)D levels <30 ng/ml. In unadjusted analyses, lower 25(OH)D levels

were significantly associated with higher diastolic blood pressure,

low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), body mass index

(BMI), and fibrinogen levels, as well as self-reported hypertension

and diabetes mellitus. Lower 25(OH)D levels were also significantly

associated with higher SLE disease activity and damage scores. After

adjustment for age, seasonal variation, and race/ethnicity, lower

25(OH)D levels were also significantly related to higher fasting serum

glucose. With further adjustment for BMI, associations between 25(OH)D

and cardiovascular risk factors were no longer significant.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that vitamin D levels are low in

women with SLE and significant associations exist with selected

cardiovascular risk factors, although most of these associations can

be explained by BMI.

PMID: 19790113

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19790113

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