title: 25-hydroxyvitamin D insufficiency is associated with impaired renal endothelial function and both are improved with rosuvastatin treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D deficiency is nowadays considered as a potential cardiovascular and renal risk factor. We tested the hypotheses that vitamin D deficiency impairs the endothelial function of renal vasculature and whether vitamin D levels and endothelial function can be improved by the treatment with statins.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a double-blind, randomized study of 31 hypercholesterolemic patients with vitamin D insufficiency (<30 ng/ml) were randomly assigned to rosuvastatin (10 mg/d) and placebo for 6 weeks. Basal nitric oxide (NO) activity of the renal vasculature was assessed both before and after the blockade of NO synthases with systemic infusion of N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA). In parallel, 25(OH)D was measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiple regression analysis revealed that at baseline 25(OH)D is an independent determinant of basal NO activity as assessed by the decrease in RPF, in response to L-NMMA (β = -0.446, r = 0.015). Compared to placebo treatment, rosuvastatin increased 25(OH)D levels (21.6 ± 4.0 vs. 24.1 ± 8.1 ng/ml, p = 0.039). Basal NO activity was significantly more increased after 6-week therapy with rosuvastatin than with placebo (-94.8 ± 70 vs. -68.2 ± 32 ml/min, p = 0.044), indicating increased basal NOS activity after 6 weeks of rosuvastatin treatment. Basal NO activity in the placebo phase was correlated inversely with 25(OH)D (r = -0.385; p = 0.027).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, vitamin D insufficiency is associated with impaired endothelial function in the renal vasculature and both were beneficially influenced by the treatment with rosuvastatin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Ulmenweg 18, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ott
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Raff
authors.forename: Markus P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Stephanie I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Titze
authors.forename: Roland E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Schmieder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012044:Regression Analysis; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications*; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014807:Vitamin D; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase