ABSTRACT
To determine the association between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular risk markers among diabetic patients. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, from December 2007 to March 2008 in 119 type 2 diabetic patients. Coronary, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular diseases were confirmed. Blood biochemical parameters including laboratory risk markers of cardiovascular disease were determined. Serum 25 hydoxy [OH] D was measured during winter. The correlation between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular prevalence, and also laboratory variables was determined. The mean age of patients was 55.3 +/- 11.2 years. The mean 25[OH] D concentration was 32.4 +/- 21.6ng/ml. The prevalence of hypovitaminous D was 26.1% among the diabetic patients. The difference with the control group was not significant [p=0.12]. Overall, 36 [30.3%] patients were positive for coronary vascular disease [CVD]. The correlation between hypovitaminous D and CVD was not significant [p=0.11]. Patients with vitamin D deficiency had significant differences in body mass index [p=0.003], metabolic syndrome [p=0.05], high sensitive C-reactive protein [p=0.009], microalbuminuria [p=0.04], and glumerular filtration rate [p=0.02], compared to patients with sufficient vitamin D. The fasting blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin, lipid profiles, homocysteine, uric acid, and insulin resistance were not related to vitamin D deficiency. There is an association between hypovitaminous D and inflammatory markers that contributed to CVD, so vitamin D may be important in maintaining cardiovascular health