title: Effects of Vitamin D supplementation on physical activity of patients with Heart Failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To see the role of Vitamin D supplementation on physical status of patients suffering from Congestive Heart Failure (dilated cardiomyopathy).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this nonrandomized clinical trial, Forty three Patients with dilated cardiomyopathy who were not showing any significant improvements in physical performance on optimal treatment of heart failure were included. Vitamin D (200,000 IU) supplementation on weekly basis for a period of 12 weeks was added to heart failure treatment. And its effect was seen on 6 minutes' walk distance and Pro-BNP levels. SPSS version 19 was used for data analysis. Dependent sample t-test was used to see the significant effect of vitamin D supplementation on pre- intervention vitamin D levels, 6MWD and Pro-BNP. Taking p-value <0.05 as significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On clinical assessment most of the patients were in NYHA class II (65%), the percentages of NYHA Class I, III and IV was 19%, 9% and 7% respectively. The baseline mean vitamin D level of the study group was 16.59±3.54ng/ml and it raised to 31.97±3.64ng/ml after 12 weeks of supplementation with vitamin D,pvalue<0.0005. The mean distance travelled by the study group before the intervention was 806±380ft while it increased to 945±393ft after the intervention,pvalue of 0.008. The mean of pro-BNP level of the study group before the intervention was 1024±635 while it improved to 159±80 after the intervention with a significantpvalue<0.0005.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D supplementation decreases the severity of HF as reflected by reduction in serum pro-BNP levels and significant increase in six minutes' walk distance.
authors.affiliation: Muhammad Zafar Majeed Babar, FCPS Medicine. Associate Professor of Medicine, Sheikh Zayed Medical College/Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Zafar
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Majeed Babar
authors.affiliation: S.Sabahat Haider, FCPS Chemical Pathology. (name corrected) Assistant Professor, Senior Demonstrator, Department of Pathology, Sheikh Zayed Medical College/Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan.
authors.forename: S Sabahat
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Haider
authors.affiliation: Ghulam Mustafa, MBBS, MSPH. Assistant Professor of Community Medicine, Sheikh Zayed Medical College/Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Ghulam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mustafa
keywords: Congestive Heart failure; Pro-BNP; Vitamin D; dilated cardiomyopathy