The Associations Between 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D Levels and Biomarkers of Endothelial Dysfunction
Andrius Bleizgys, Virginijus Šapoka
Background. Endothelial dysfunction (ED) occurs in early stages of vascul ar diseases and could be detected using biomarkers, e.g. soluble adhesion molecules. Interest of vitamin D in cardiology is growing, and there is a need to investigate associations between vitamin D and ED biomarkers.
Patients and methods. Randomly selected healthy men of age 20-39 were examined during February and March in 2012. Data about some nutrition, smoking and physical activity habits were recorded. Some anthropometrical (height, weight, waist and hip circumference, arterial blood pressure) and laboratory mea sure ments (gen eral blood count, lipids, high sensitivity CRP (hsCRP), glucose, testosterone, 25-hydroxi-vitamin D (25(OH)-D), and soluble adhesion molecules - ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E- and P-selectin) were performed.
Results. Of all 64 men, 57.8% had very low vitamin D levels (less then 50 nmol/L) and only 3.1% were vitamin D sufficient. After adjustments, soluble VCAM-1 correl ated only with waist-hip ratio (P=-0.341, p=0.006), ICAM-1 - with triglycerides (P = 0.261, p = 0.037), E-selectin - with 25(OH)-D and glucose (P=0.345, p=0.004 and p=-0.003, p=0.04, respectively), P-selectin - with hsCRP category (if it was more than 1 mg/l) (P=0.311, p=0.012). A similar pattern remained for VCAM-1 and E-selectin in normal weight men, but not in obese or overweight men. No significant differences of soluble adhesion molecules were found among 25(OH)-D tertiles.
Conclusion. During cold season almost all men of age 20-39 had low vitamin D. There were associations between soluble E-selectin and serum 25(OH)-D, notably for normal weight men. No significant associations of 25(OH)-D with soluble ICAM-1, VCAM-1 or P-selectin were found.
Keywords: calcidiol, calcitriol, endothelial dysfunction, biomarkers, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E-selectin, P-selectin.
