title: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are associated with carotid atherosclerosis in normotensive and euglycemic Chinese postmenopausal women: the Shanghai Changfeng study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 (OH) D) in atherogenesis is unclear. We investigated whether the 25 (OH) D is independently associated with the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and carotid plaques in normotensive and euglycemic postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 671 normotensive and euglycemic postmenopausal women (mean age, 58.8 years) were enrolled from the Changfeng Study. A standard interview, anthropometrics measurements and laboratory analyses were performed for each participant. Bilateral CIMTs were measured using ultrasonography, and the presence of carotid plaques was assessed. The serum 25 (OH) D was measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum 25 (OH) D was 43.6 ± 18.2 nmol/L in the postmenopausal women. Compared with subjects with 25 (OH) D in the first, second and third quartiles, subjects with 25 (OH) D in the fourth quartile had decreased CIMT and prevalence of carotid plaque (0.684 ± 0.009 mm vs 0.719 ± 0.009 mm, 0.708 ± 0.009 mm and 0.709 ± 0.009 mm; 10.8% vs 19.0%, 14.8% and 16.8%, respectively). After adjusting for conventional CVD risk factors, PTH, liver and renal function, postmenopausal women with 25 (OH) D in the fourth quartile still had lower CIMT than those in the first, second and third quartiles (p = 0.039) and the subjects in the fourth quartile had a 0.421-fold decreased risk of carotid plaques relative to those in the lowest quartile (95% confidence interval 0.209 to 0.848).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest serum 25 (OH) D is independently and inversely associated with carotid atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women with normal blood pressure and normal glucose tolerance.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Huandong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wanyuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Xuejuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Naiqing
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhenqi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhong Shan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. zhongshan_endo@126.com.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D044466:Asian People; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D