title: Arterial stiffness and vitamin D levels: the Baltimore longitudinal study of aging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The importance of vitamin D for bone health has long been acknowledged. Recent evidence suggests that vitamin D can also play a role in reducing the risk of several other diseases, including cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D) is an independent cross-sectional correlate of central arterial stiffness in a normative aging study population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 1228 healthy volunteers (50% males; age, 70±12 yr) of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and 25-OH D levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a significant inverse association between PWV and 25-OH D levels (adjusted r2=0.27; β=-0.43; P=0.001). After adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, season of blood draw, estimated glomerular filtration rate, physical activity level, cardiovascular risk factors score (smoking, visceral obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and diabetes), calcium/vitamin D supplementation, serum calcium, and PTH levels, the association between PWV and 25-OH D levels was only slightly reduced and remained statistically significant (adjusted r2=0.34; β=-0.34; P=0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D levels are inversely associated with increased arterial stiffness in a normative aging population, irrespective of traditional risk factor burden. Further research is needed to understand the mechanism of this association and to test the hypothesis that vitamin D supplementation can reduce arterial stiffness.
authors: Longitudinal Studies Section, Clinical Research Branch, National Institute on Aging, 3001 South Hanover Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21225, USA. giallauriaf@mail.nih.gov
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Giallauria
authors: Yuri
authors: Y
authors: Milaneschi
authors: Toshiko
authors: T
authors: Tanaka
authors: Marcello
authors: M
authors: Maggio
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Canepa
authors: Palchamy
authors: P
authors: Elango
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Vigorito
authors: Edward G
authors: EG
authors: Lakatta
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Ferrucci
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Strait
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D