title: Vitamin D status and peripheral arterial disease: evidence so far.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D deficiency has recently been implicated as a contributory factor in the development of peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of the published literature on PAD and vitamin D was undertaken using Medline, PubMed, and Embase, and cross-referenced. All relevant published papers on the subject were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Published studies have shown that there is a significant association between vitamin D and PAD. Populations with lower vitamin D levels are more likely to develop PAD in a graded manner. Higher amputation rates are also observed among patients with PAD and lower vitamin D levels. In addition, vitamin D deficiency is significantly associated with increased risk of cardiovascular adverse events. This was also observed in the mouse model where low vitamin D led to the development of atherosclerosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that vitamin D deficiency could be an independent risk factor for the development of PAD and that this risk factor is easily correctable. Further studies should look into the effects of vitamin D supplementation in patients with PAD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Medical Centre, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D