Review Article

The Role of Vitamin D in Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease: An Updated Review of the Literature

Table 2

Vitamin D and cardiovascular diseases.

Study type Subjects divisionPopulationVitamin D assessment/supplementDurationConclusionCitation

ProspectiveFemale
Male
28
32
IranianVitamin D assessment, P-selectin, and hs-CRP levels measurement for thrombosis condition3 monthsDid not find significant relationship between Vitamin D and P-selectin and hs-CRP levels[120]

Cross-sectionalPostmenopausal women926ChineseVitamin D assessment & carotid IMT measurementSerum 25(OH)D inversely correlated with carotid IMT[115]

Cross-sectionalFemale (43%), male (57%)567Vitamin D assessment, arterial stiffness, and carotid IMTNonlinear relationship between 25(OH)D and IMT, and IMT increases slightly for 25(OH)D levels above 50 nmol/L[117]

Prospective 2148FinnishVitamin D assessment & carotid IMT measurement27 yearsLow Vitamin D levels were associated with increased carotid IMT in adulthood[116]

Cross-sectionalT2DM352ChineseVitamin D assessment, carotid plaques, and carotid IMTSerum Vitamin D independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis in T2D[113]

Randomized controlledT2D415DanishVitamin D assessment, carotid IMT and arterial stiffness markers, and DXA scan4 years25(OH)D status not associated with carotid IMT, arterial thickness, or bone health[106]

Cross-sectionalControl
Case (atherosclerosis)
110
98
Vitamin D assessment & coronary CT angiographyRelationship between low Vitamin level and coronary atherosclerosis and plaque burden, but not with morphology[101]

Randomized controlledPlacebo
Case (atorvastatin)
103
98
DiverseVitamin D assessment, carotid IMT progression, and secondary outcomes (cholesterol, LDL, and hs-CRP)3 yearsBaseline 25(OH)D levels ≥21 ng/mL associated with lower baseline hs-CRP levels. Vitamin D deficiency may be involved in response to atorvastatin[100]

Randomized controlledPlacebo
Case-supplement
100
100
AustriaVitamin D supplementation for cases, 2800 IU of Vitamin D3/day for 8 weeksSupplementation for hypertensive patients with low serum levels has no significant effect on blood pressure[91]

ProspectiveWhite (76%), Black (24%)12215DiverseVitamin D assessment21 yearsAssociation between Vitamin D and risk of heart failure found for both Black and White people, but in White people it also reflected incidence of heart failure[89]

Cross-sectionalControls
Case (stroke patients)
70
73
IndianVitamin D assessment, iPTH levels, and risk factors of strokeVitamin D deficiency is not linked with ischemic stroke or its risk factors[87]

ProspectiveFemale
Male
2007
1388
NetherlandsAssessment of Vitamin D, Atrial Fibrillation (AF), and confounders12 yearsVitamin D status was not associated with AF incidence[82]

Cohort 9949GermanVitamin D assessment and fatal and nonfatal CVD incidence5 yearsRelationship suggests that low 25(OH)D levels moderately increase risk of CVD, much strongly for fatal incidences[80]

Prospective Mendelian 95766DanishVitamin D assessment, genotypes for DHCR7 & CYP2R1, and mortality confounders 5–19 yearsVitamin D concentration not associated with CVD mortality but could be result of confounding factors[68]

Cross-sectionalWithout plaque
With plaque
712
289
ChineseVitamin D assessment, carotid plaque, and carotid IMTSerum Vitamin D levels are inversely associated with atherosclerosis. Vitamin D is also a protective factor for increased carotid IMT amongst subjects with plaque [11]

Prospective 12158Vitamin D assessment, stroke incidence, and rs7041, rs4588 SNPs for D binding protein were genotyped 20 yearsLow 25(OH)D levels are risk factor for stroke, especially those predisposed to high DBP[10]