title: Race or vitamin D: A determinant of intima media thickness in obese adolescents?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Carotid intima media thickness (IMT), a predictor of cardiovascular events, is reported to be higher in African-American (AA) vs White (AW) individuals. We investigated whether racial differences in IMT in obese adolescents could be explained by differences in 25 hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D].
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 63 obese adolescents had 25(OH)D levels, determination of IMT, body composition, insulin sensitivity (IS) by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, lipids and blood pressure (BP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  IMT was higher and 25(OH)D lower in AA vs AW. IMT correlated with 25(OH)D level (r = -0.38, P = .002) but not with IS. In multiple regression analysis, race, HbA1c, BP and age, and not 25(OH)D, BMI or IS, were the significant determinants of IMT (R2= 0.44, P < .001). Without race in the model, 25(OH)D (β = -0.36, P = .009) contributed to the variance in IMT (R2= 0.32, P = .007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obese AA adolescents vs AW, have higher IMT, explained by race, BP, and HbA1c. Although 25(OH)D levels contribute to the variance in IMT, the observed racial difference in IMT could be mediated through other unknown race-related factors besides 25(OH)D.
authors.affiliation: Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.|Division of Pediatric Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Fida
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bacha
authors.affiliation: Weight Management and Wellness Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA.|Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes Mellitus, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Silva A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Arslanian
mesh_terms: D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2 / Q000097:blood; D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology; D058246:Prehypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology; D012306:Risk; D012621:Seasons; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D015652:25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2; D002112:Calcifediol; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human
keywords: insulin sensitivity; intima media thickness; racial differences; vitamin D