title: The relationship between vitamin D deficiency and coronary artery ectasia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pathophysiology of coronary artery ectasia (CAE) has not been clearly identified although multiple abnormalities including arteritis, endothelial dysfunction, and atherothrombosis have been reported. The role of vitamin D deficiency suggests cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, and hypertension. Vitamin D deficiency activates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which affects the cardiovascular system. For this reason, it could be suggested that there is a relationship between vitamin D deficiency and CAE.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to compare the 25-OH vitamin D levels of CAE patients with those of controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 50 CAE patients (20 male, mean age: 60.26 ±10.6 years) and 30 controls (10 males, mean age: 57.86 ±11.6 years). Along with routine tests, 25 OH vitamin D and parathormone (PTH) levels were analysed. Twenty-five OH vitamin D and PTH levels were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of basic characteristics. The average PTH level of the group of patients with CAE was higher than the average PTH level of the controls (97.8 ±46.3 pg/ml vs. 59.1 ±23.7 pg/ml; p < 0.001). The average 25 OH vitamin D level of the group of the patients with CAE was lower than the average 25 OH vitamin D level of the control group (18.9 ±8.5 ng/ml vs. 31.3 ±11.2 ng/ml; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An association between CAE and vitamin D deficiency was found in our study.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Education and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Department, Bursa Şevket Yılmaz Education and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Education and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keçeoğlu
keywords: coronary artery ectasia; endothelial dysfunction; inflammation; renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system; vitamin D