Effect of vitamin D therapy on endothelial function in ischemic heart disease female patients with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency: A primary report

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction. We evaluated endothelial function in ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency before and after vitamin D therapy. METHODS: An uncontrolled before-after study was conducted in Isfahan, Iran on consecutive sample of female IHD patients who had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention in the preceding ۶ months and/or referred with chronic stable angina. Forty patients with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency (serum ۲۵-hydroxy vitamin D < ۲۰ or ۲۰-۳۰ ng/ml, respectively) were included and received two intramuscular injections of ۳۰۰,۰۰۰ IU cholecalciferol with ۱ month interval. Endothelial function, assessed by measuring flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), and serum ۲۵-hydroxy vitamin D level were measured at baseline and ۱ month after the second dose of cholecalciferol. RESULTS: A total of ۳۰ patients completed the study, age = ۵۹.۴ ± ۸.۷ years; serum ۲۵-hydroxy vitamin D = ۱۹.۰ ± ۶.۵ ng/ml. After treatment, serum ۲۵-hydroxy vitamin D was reached to > ۳۰ ng/ml in all patients. Brachial artery diameter (mm) after ischemia increased significantly, statistically but not clinically (۴.۵۵ ± ۰.۳۷ to ۴.۶۷ ± ۰.۳۸, P < ۰.۰۰۱). Furthermore, FMD (%) was increased from ۱.۹۶ ± ۱.۶۵ to ۴.۶۵ ± ۱.۲۷ (P < ۰.۰۰۱). The amount of change in FMD was not significantly correlated with serum ۲۵-hydroxy vitamin D (r = ۰.۰۳۸, P = ۰.۸۵۸). CONCLUSION: Endothelial function was improved after vitamin D therapy in IHD patients with low serum vitamin D. Controlled studies with larger sample size are required to confirm if vitamin D therapy has effects on endothelial function.   

Keywords:

Cardiovascular Diseases , Coronary Artery Disease , Endothelium , Vitamin D Deficiency