ABSTRACT
Background: High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency has been reported from Pakistan. Association of sociodemographic factors with vitamin D status has received little attention in this region. Therefore, we embarked on investigating the relationship of sociodemographic factors with vitamin D levels in a healthy Pakistani population. Venous blood from 226 healthy participants [age range 19-69 years] was collected and analyzed for serum concentrations of 25[OH] vitamin D [25[OH]D] and other related biomarkers. Demographic characteristics of the study participants were collected. Vitamin D deficiency [25[OH]D levels less than 20 ng/ml] was found to be 75% in this cohort. Gender, sunlight exposure and monthly household income emerged as predictors of hypovitaminosis D. Mean serum 25[OH]D levels in the groups with monthly household income less than Pakistani Rupees [PKR] 20,000, between PKR 20,000-50,000 and above PKR 50,000 were found to be 11.0+/-7.5, 13.9+/-9.6 and16.9+/-11.7 ng/ml, respectively. Using logistic regression the odds of having vitamin D deficiency was 3.22 [95% CI, 1.65-6.28] in the group with household income less than PKR 50,000 per month compared to the group with household income more than PKR 50,000 per month when the model was adjusted for gender and exposure to sunlight. There is an association between household income and hypovitaminosis D in a healthy Pakistani population
ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the relationship of statins [drug given to reduce serum levels of LDL-cholesterol] on vitamin D levels of Pakistani type 2 diabetes mellitus [DM] patients in a hospital in Karachi
Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, 312 consecutive patients with type 2 DM [219 males and 93 females, age 22-70 years] were recruited with informed consent. A questionnaire was administered to find out whether they were statin users or non-users. Serum was analyzed for concentrations of 25[OH] vitamin D [25[OH]D] and other related biomarkers such as serum cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, LDLcholesterol, phosphate and calcium using kit methods. Multiple Linear Regression was used to evaluate association of statin use with serum levels of vitamin D while adjusting for related covariates including duration of statin use, duration of type 2 DM and smoking
Results: Mean concentrations of serum cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol were lower among statin users compared to statin non-users [P < 0.01], while HDL-cholesterol levels were higher [P<0.01]. No relationship was observed between statin use and serum levels of vitamin D [P=0.768], when adjusted for age, gender, BMI, duration of type 2 DM, smoking, serum cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. The adjusted regression coefficient [beta] and standard error [SE[beta]] for statin use duration were 0.012 [0.042], when serum levels of vitamin D was taken as an outcome
Conclusion: Lack of association was found between statin use and vitamin D levels in a hospital-based population of Pakistani patients with type 2 DM
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors , Vitamin D , Cross-Sectional StudiesABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the relationship of vitamin D deficiency and risk of AMI in a Pakistani population, and to find out any association between vitamin D binding protein [VDBP] genotypes and risk of AMI in this population
Methods: In a comparative cross-sectional study, 246 patients [age: 20-70 years; 171 males and 75 females] with first AMI were enrolled with informed consent. Similarly, 345 healthy adults [230 males and 115 females] were enrolled as controls. Their fasting serum samples were analyzed for 25 [OH] vitamin D, lipids and other biomarkers using kit methods, while DNA was analyzed for VDBP genotypes using PCR-RFLP based methods. Chi-squared test and logistic regression were used for association of vitamin D deficiency and VDBP genotypes with AMI
Results: Mean serum concentration of 25[OH] vitamin D was significantly lower in AMI patients compared to healthy subjects [p=0.015] and percent vitamin D deficiency was higher in AMI patients compared to healthy subjects [p=0.003]. VDBP IF-IF genotype was positively associated with the risk of AMI in subject above 45 years after adjusting for potential confounders [OR = 9.86; 95% CI=1.16 to 83.43]
Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency and VDBP IF-IF genotype are associated with AMI in Pakistani adults
ABSTRACT
High prevalence of premature coronary heart disease in Pakistanis compared to other populations points towards the genetic predisposition of this population to develop this disease. Since no investigations have been carried out in Pakistan to study the relationship of polymorphisms in genes involved in homocysteine cycle, the objective of the present study was to find out if there is any association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase [MTHFR] C677T, A1298C; methionine synthase [MS] A2756G; cystathionine-beta-synthase [CBS] 844ins68, G919A polymorphisms with premature acute myocardial infarction [AMI] in a population of Pakistani patients with this disease. In a cross-sectional study, DNA samples of 143 AMI patients [age <45 years] and 153 healthy controls were genotyped for the above mentioned polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP methods. Plasma/serum samples of both patients and healthy controls were screened for homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12. One way ANOVA and chi-squared test were used for analysis of data. Mean plasma homocysteine levels in premature AMI patients and healthy controls were found to be 23 +/- 17.2 and 23 +/- 13.4 micro mol/l, respectively which are higher than the upper normal limit of this biomarker [15micro mol/l]. MTHFR 677 CT genotype in healthy controls and MTHFR 677 TT genotype in AMI patients were found to have significantly increased levels of plasma homocysteine [p value <0.05], while all other polymorphisms did not show any significant difference in mean levels of homocysteine between AMI patients and healthy controls. Moreover, no association was observed between MTHFR C677T, A1298C; MS A2756C; CBS844ins68 polymorphisms and premature AMI in this population. This indicates that common polymorphisms in MTHFR, MS and CBS genes have no role in premature AMI in Pakistani population
ABSTRACT
Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase [MTHFR] gene polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with response to methotrexate [MTX] in certain populations of patients with rheumatoid arthritis [RA]. This study aims at investigating any relationship of two single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] in MTHFR gene, C677T and A1298C with response to therapy with MTX in Pakistani RA patients. Allelic frequencies of the two polymorphisms [C677T and A1298C] were determined in 67 RA patients [9 males and 58 females; mean age 42.87 +/- 13.5 years] who had previously participated in a prospective clinical trial. Fifty-one patients had received MTX and were followed up for response up to 6 months. Genotyping of the two MTHFR polymorphisms was carried out using PCR-RFLP, while fasting concentration of plasma homocysteine was determined using a kit method. Twenty-eight patients were found to be "good responders", while twenty-three were [poor responders]. MTHFR 1298C and MTHFR 677T alleles' frequencies in [good responders] were not different from frequencies in [poor responders] [0.574 vs. 0.521; p=0.6 and 0.197 vs. 0.196; p=0.75, respectively]. Plasma homocysteine levels in female RA patients were significantly higher compared to general population in Karachi [13.1 +/- 6.7 micromol/1 vs. 11.4 +/- 5.3 micromol/1; p<0.00l]. MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms are not associated with response to MTX in a population of Pakistani RA patients