title: Vitamin d, adiposity, and calcified atherosclerotic plaque in african-americans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inverse associations are reported between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and visceral adiposity. The effects of vitamin D levels on atherosclerosis are unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to test for relationships between vitamin D, adiposity, bone density, and atherosclerosis in African-Americans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D, intact PTH, C-reactive protein and computed tomography-derived calcified atherosclerotic plaque (CP), bone density, and fat volumes were measured.
  
  
  METHODS
  Examinations were performed at a single outpatient general clinical research center visit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred forty African-Americans with type 2 diabetes were evaluated. Mean +/- SD age was 55.6 +/- 9.6 yr, diabetes duration 10.6 +/- 8.3 yr, glomerular filtration rate 1.6 +/- 0.5 ml/sec, body mass index 35.6 +/- 8.7 kg/m(2), and 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration 50.4 +/- 30.5 nmol/liter.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biomarkers were tested for association with pericardial, visceral, im, and sc adipose tissues; thoracic and lumbar vertebral bone density; and aorta, coronary, and carotid artery CP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, glycosylated hemoglobin, and glomerular filtration rate, 25-hydroxyvitamin D was negatively associated with visceral adiposity (P = 0.009) and positively associated with carotid artery CP and aorta CP (P = 0.013 and 0.014, respectively) but not with coronary artery CP or bone density.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We confirmed an inverse association between vitamin D and visceral adiposity in African-Americans with diabetes. In addition, positive associations exist between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and aorta and carotid artery CP in African-Americans. The effects of supplementing vitamin D to raise the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level on atherosclerosis in African-Americans are unknown. Prospective trials are needed to determine the cardiovascular effects of supplemental vitamin D in this ethnic group.
authors.affiliation: Section on Nephrology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1053, USA. bfreedma@wfubmc.edu
authors.forename: Barry I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Freedman
authors.forename: Lynne E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Wagenknecht
authors.forename: Kristen G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Hairston
authors.forename: Donald W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.forename: J Jeffrey
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: R Caresse
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Hightower
authors.forename: Ethel J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Jianzhao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Carl D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Langefeld
authors.forename: Jasmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Divers
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D