title: The relationship between vitamin D deficiency and thoracic aortic dilatation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D deficiency can play a role in cardiovascular conditions, such as coronary artery disease, heart failure and hypertension. Vitamin D deficiency can activate the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which in turn affects the cardiovascular system. Thus, a relationship between vitamin D deficiency and thoracic aortic dilatation (TAD) and aneurysm could be postulated. In this study, we compared 25-OH vitamin D levels between TAD and control groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 87 patients with TAD who were 40 - 70 years old. The control group consisted of 93 patients who were 40 - 70 years old and did not have TAD. A transthoracic echocardiography was performed on each patient. Along with routine tests, the 25-OH vitamin D and parathormone (PTH) levels were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups regarding their basic characteristics. The average PTH level of the TAD group was higher than that of the control group (94.87 ± 44.96 and 66.39 ± 30.58 pg/ml, respectively; p < 0.001). The average 25-OH vitamin D level of the TAD group was lower than that of the control group (11.89 ± 7.54 and 15.98 ± 4.98 ng/ml, respectively; p = 0.001). The initial conventional echocardiographic parameters of both groups were comparable. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the PTH and 25-OH vitamin D levels were independent predictors of TAD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D deficiency was found as an independent factor associated with TAD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Education and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey. drmehmetmd@gmail.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Uyan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C470125:PTH protein, human; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D