title: Low calcidiol levels and risk of progression of aortic calcification.
abstract: In this observational study, we found a positive relationship between low calcidiol levels and the risk of aortic calcification progression. A 10-ng/mL increase of calcidiol was associated with a decrease in the risk of progression by 44%. This figure was higher than that observed if we increased age by 10 years.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum calcidiol levels and the onset and progression of aortic calcifications in a community-based sample of ambulatory subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred two men and women aged 50 and over underwent two lateral X-rays and were followed up for 4 years. Abdominal aortic calcifications were classified as absent, mild-moderate, and severe. The biochemical measurements of serum calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, total alkaline phosphatase, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, creatinine, calcidiol, calcitriol, and osteocalcin were determined. Subjects who had received anti-osteoporotic treatments were excluded from the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects with progression of aortic calcifications had significantly lower serum calcidiol levels than those without progression. In the multivariate analysis, using the agreed upon serum levels for calcidiol (>30 ng/mL) as the reference, those subjects with calcidiol levels between 10 and 20 ng/mL showed a higher risk of progression of aortic calcification (odds ratio (OR) = 3.95; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16 to 13.40). An even higher OR was observed in subjects with calcidiol values <10 ng/mL (OR = 4.10; 95% CI = 1.12 to 14.99). In addition, an increase by 1 ng/mL in osteocalcin levels was associated with a 17% reduction of the risk of aortic calcification progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increase by 10 ng/mL of calcidiol was associated with a decrease in the risk of aortic calcifications progression by 44%. This figure was even higher than that observed if we increased age by 10 years. Levels of calcidiol higher than 30 ng/mL seem to be desirable to reduce the progression of aortic calcification and to maintain bone turnover.
authors.affiliation: Bone and Mineral Research Unit, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Instituto Reina Sofía de Investigación, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naves-Díaz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cabezas-Rodríguez
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barrio-Vázquez
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Díaz-López
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Cannata-Andía
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002112:Calcifediol