title: Relation of low vitamin D to nonvalvular persistent atrial fibrillation in Chinese patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low vitamin D status has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. We evaluated the association between low vitamin D and AF.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from 162 Chinese patients with nonvalvular persistent AF and no other cardiovascular disease whose serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were measured in our hospital (AF group). Healthy subjects without AF who underwent health screening at our hospital served as controls (non-AF group, n = 160). 25(OH)D was measured by chemiluminescence assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum 25(OH)D level was significantly lower in the AF group than in the non-AF group (18.5 ± 10.3 vs 21.4 ± 10.7 ng/mL, P < 0.05). The high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) level was significantly higher in the AF group than in the non-AF group (0.35 ± 0.19 vs 0.2 ± 0.17 mg/dL, P < 0.01). The average left atrial diameter was significantly larger in the AF group than in the non-AF group (P < 0.01). The serum 25(OH)D level showed a negative correlation with left atrial diameter, hsCRP level, and pulmonary artery systolic pressure. Logistic regression analysis identified that 25(OH)D was related to AF. Patients whose vitamin D levels were in the lowest 25(OH)D category (<20 ng/mL) were more often in the AF group, with their incidence about twofold higher than those in the highest 25(OH)D category (>30 ng/mL).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low vitamin D levels are associated with AF. It may be involved in its development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, South-Building, PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wei Ren
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhi Ying
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Da Wei
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.forename: Yun Dai
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: atrial fibrillation; echocardiography; high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP); vitamin D