title: Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: An Italian Single-Center Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypovitaminosis D is a vitamin deficiency that has been increasing in developed countries; it was also suggested as an emerging risk factor for developing of atherosclerosis and acute myocardial infarction. The primary source of vitamin D is its cutaneous synthesis under exposure to sunlight. It has been suggested that 30 min of sun exposure twice weekly leads to sufficient vitamin D synthesis. The residents of Trieste (Italy) are well-known for their high exposure to sunlight in all seasons. We aimed to investigate the vitamin D status in subjects with acute myocardial infarction living in this area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vitamin D status was identified in 478 subjects diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration was 14.5 [7.8 - 22.7] ng/mL. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were present in 324 (68 %) and 107 (22 %) subjects, respectively. Vitamin D deficiency was less frequent among subjects enrolled in the period from July to the end of September (p < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis vitamin D deficiency was predicted by older age (p = 0.02), female gender (p = 0.002), higher body mass index (p = 0.05), autumn/winter sampling (p < 0.001), increased parathyroid hormone (p = 0.03) and alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed very high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among subjects with myocardial infarction in all seasons of enrollment. However, it was lower in the summer when sun exposure is higher. The exposure to sunlight may be a cost-saving therapeutic strategy for the management of vitamin D deficiency.
authors.affiliation: 1 Cardiovascular Department, "Ospedali Riuniti" and University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aleksova
authors.affiliation: 1 Cardiovascular Department, "Ospedali Riuniti" and University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Belfiore
authors.affiliation: 1 Cardiovascular Department, "Ospedali Riuniti" and University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Cosimo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carriere
authors.affiliation: 1 Cardiovascular Department, "Ospedali Riuniti" and University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Salam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kassem
authors.affiliation: 2 Internal Medicine, Villa Sofia Hospital, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: La Carrubba
authors.affiliation: 1 Cardiovascular Department, "Ospedali Riuniti" and University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbati
authors.affiliation: 1 Cardiovascular Department, "Ospedali Riuniti" and University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sinagra
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D013472:Sunlight; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: acute myocardial infarction; prevalence; vitamin D deficiency